Bumps In The Road
by TimberWolfie
Summary: Jake and Neytiri can't have a child.  So what do you do when that happens?  Pre-quel to my other story, Accidentally On Purpose.  Main summary in the story.
1. I'm Sorry

**Author's note: Okay, I suck at summaries, so here you go.**

**Neytiri and Jake can't have a child, or they think they can't since Norm and Max have told them they can't. They need an heir for the Omaticaya clan, so when an opportunity presents itself, Neytiri jumps at the chance. But this charade won't be easy to pull off, as they would need to make it seem like it is their child.**

**This is a prequel to my other story, Accidentally On Purpose. You don't need to read either to understand one, but this would give you some background information and plot spoilers! Well... yeah, plot spoilers. So, enjoy! Reviews and favourites are always appreciated! And I don't own the canon characters of this story or the concept. Also, this is based on Desperate Housewives.**

**Chapter One | I'm Sorry**

'_Children are remarkable for their intelligence and ardour, for their curiosity, their intolerance of shams, the clarity and ruthlessness of their vision.' – Aldous Huxley_

A beautiful, vibrant Na'vi female was seated upon a log on the outskirts of Hometree, cleaning her bow carefully. Her ears flickered as she heard children playing in the river, around where the Pa'li frolicked. Neytiri gave a smile as she watched the children of her brothers and sisters, but that smile had a longing gaze to it. One her mate knew too well as he came and wrapped his arms around her. "Someone call heaven, for I think they are missing an angel," Jake purred in Neytiri's ear. Neytiri blushed and gave a laugh, kissing him gently and then elbowing him. "Hey, what was that for?"  
"For being a liar," Neytiri told him gently. "I am not an angel."

"Sure you are," Jake smiled. "And I love you."

Neytiri looked at her mate. "All right... What do you want?" She asked.

Jake chuckled. "Nothing. Do I have to be interrogated every time I say 'I love you'?"

Neytiri shook her head and smiled at him before letting her eyes drift over to a group of her female friends. Jake followed her gaze as she watched her friends talk. "Are you going to go say hi?" Jake asked her.

His mate looked back down at her bow. "No," she replied. Jake was about to ask why when he took a closer look at her friends. One of them, Nikti, Neytiri's closest girlfriend, was wearing a shift made of a loose cloth. It was loose-fitting, with thin sleeves, and reached down to just above the knee. Jake gave a sigh and looked at Neytiri. "Nikti's pregnant?" He asked, knowing that was the dress that Na'vi women wore when they were expecting. It allowed the members of the clan to know they were expecting, and to tell the males to not piss them off. Of course, that wasn't the real reason, but it was an indicator to Jake of who to be very, very nice to.

Neytiri nodded slowly in response to her mate's question. Jake sighed and hugged her. "Sweetheart..."  
"Do not sweetheart me," Neytiri sighed. "I will be fine."

Jake shook his head sadly. "Don't lie. I know you want a child."  
Neytiri looked at her mate and gave a small smile. "Ma Jake, do not be upset... I would rather have you."

Jake looked at her with a soft gaze in his eyes, a twitch of a smile coming to his face. "You say that now. But what will happen when Nikti's baby arrives, and all your friends start having babies? What if you change your mind?"

Neytiri looked at Jake oddly. "'Change my mind?'" She echoed. Jake nodded. "We've been together how long and you have not realised that my mind doesn't change?"

Jake looked at her and hesitated for a fraction of a second; he decided not to point out that her mind did in fact change, and she left him for dead during the war for a bit. He had called after her, and she left him hanging. Literally. "Sure... Yeah, just realised," Jake said with a smile. He kissed her gently. "I'm sorry I can't give you a baby. I know you love children." With Jake's human DNA still running through him, it didn't really work for them having children. Max, Jake's best friend, had told them they had about a ten percent chance of having children themselves. And even if they did, they had never had a Na'vi slash Avatar baby before. It could have serious problems in the long run, mentally and physically. They really didn't know.

Neytiri placed a finger to her mate's lips. "Stop it. If children do not happen... I am fine with that," Neytiri smiled, but Jake saw right through her. That smile was anything but genuine. Jake let his ears go down a little, but he forced a smile on his face. He had vowed to do whatever it took to make Neytiri happy, and so far, two months after they had mated, he was failing. Neytiri scrambled through her thoughts to get to something less morbid than this conversation. "Uh... Oh, my cousin Kiyeri is coming to visit."

Jake looked at her, his sad expression dropping and replacing one of interest. "Oh?" He asked. "Have I met her?"

Neytiri thought for a moment, trying to think if Jake had met Kiyeri is a whirlwind of introductions when he joined the clan. "No, I do not believe so. She's sixteen and is part of a clan not too far from our own. She wants to come to ours though," Neytiri smiled.

Jake chuckled. "Why? After the reputation we've gotten?" He asked. The Omaticaya clan were semi-feared at the same time of being the most respected clan after the war. Even though Jake had shown he was nothing but a Na'vi, many still didn't trust him and some clans had torn away from the Omaticaya. Jake felt terrible, but Mo'at, Neytiri and many others told him he was the best leader since Eytukan. He didn't really know if they were telling the truth though. Neytiri might be, but the others now knew how to lie.

Neytiri smiled. "She's not like the others. She's really sweet. She's smart; she's never done anything wrong."  
The topaz eyes of her mate focused on her. "You don't need to sell her to me, sweetheart." He said with a bemused smile. He sighed then and went back to the previous conversation. "I really am sorry I can't give you a child."

Neytiri rolled her eyes at Jake. "Okay, I am looking for a nice way to shut you up, so – " Neytiri laughed and kissed her mate lovingly, ignoring the eyes that were probably watching them since they were out in the open.


	2. The Real Reason Kiyeri is Coming

**Chapter Two | The Real Reason Kiyeri is Coming**

'_Be tolerant of the human race. Your spouse's family belongs to it.' – Anonymous._

The new _Tsahik _of the Omaticaya clan was sitting with her mother, upstairs in Hometree in the royal's lounge. Mo'at was brushing Neytiri's hair and tying it in braids, which was her usual hair style. Neytiri was staying put, but it was getting annoying. "Ouch!" Neytiri exclaimed as Mo'at pulled her hair too hard. Mo'at quickly let go of her hair. Neytiri rubbed her scalp gently and rolled her eyes. "How much longer is this going to take?"

Mo'at smiled and gently ran the brush through her hair. "Sorry," she apologised. "But you and Kiyeri haven't seen each other in years."

Neytiri paused for a moment. "So I have to look beautiful to meet a girl?" She asked with a laugh.

Mo'at appeared disgusted and shocked for a moment, before hitting her daughter on the head gently. Neytiri laughed and shook off her mother before heading downstairs from the lounge with her. And as they did so, they almost bumped into Jake and a young female Na'vi who was with him. Neytiri arched an eyebrow ridge and was about to ask who this girl was, until she recognised the bright topaz eyes and heart shaped face. "Kiyeri!" She smiled. She touched her hand to her forehead and then to the young girl in front of her. "_Oel ngati kameie."_

Kiyeri smiled and did the same, before enfolding Neytiri in a hug. Neytiri laughed and hugged her younger cousin back. Jake and Mo'at smiled at them before Jake cleared his throat, "Well, you two can go get reacquainted and Neytiri can show you around. How does that sound?"

Neytiri smiled at her mate. "That sounds fine. I will see you in a bit," she said to her mother and her mate. She placed a swift kiss on Jake's cheek before going with Kiyeri back upstairs. Kiyeri sat down on the chair where Mo'at had been and Neytiri stayed on her feet for a change. Kiyeri smiled at Neytiri. "Your mate seems wonderful."

Neytiri smiled. "I certainly think so," she replied. "Okay, well Kiyeri, we have many positions in the Omaticaya clan. We are in need of healers, but you would need a whole lot of experience for that. And we have warriors – "

"Look, I don't care about the clan!" Kiyeri exclaimed, interrupting her cousin. "I'm pregnant! And I know you can't have children, so you gotta help me out!"  
Neytiri blinked spastically. "We need hunters...?"

"She is pregnant?" Mo'at asked her daughter. "Please say this is one of your jokes that I do not understand."

Neytiri had her head in her hands. She shook it gently. "No... This is not a joke, mother. She told me she is pregnant." Mo'at shook her head in disappointment. Kiyeri was such a good girl. She had never done anything wrong in the past; she was her father's pride with a perfectly clean record. What had changed? What had gone wrong? And she was so young. She was only sixteen! How could she be pregnant? If she was pregnant, she would have had to have sex. And to have sex out of wedlock was horrifically shameful in Mo'at's generation. It was becoming more of an 'in thing' though.

Jake answered Mo'at's question. "She's sixteen, it's not unheard of," Jake said to his mother-in-law.

"Maybe in your race," Mo'at snapped at him. Jake raised an eyebrow and was about to retort when Neytiri stepped in.

"Look, it does not matter. She just made a bad decision. And... she also said that her parents banished her from the clan," Neytiri said, to which Mo'at shook her head sadly. "Until she has the baby and he is adopted by a suitable family," she quickly added.

"Poor Kiyeri," Jake sighed. He looked at the two women. "Surely we can let her stay here?"

"Our clan is just as bad with pregnancy out of matehood. She would be disgraced," Neytiri said, coming to sit by him.

"She will be even more disgraced when the baby arrives," Jake pointed out. Parading a little bastard up and down the street wasn't going to help her name. "And how is she going to manage this without a mate?"

Neytiri exchanged glances with Mo'at. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at Jake, batting her eyelashes. Jake looked at her oddly. "She is not going to keep the baby," Neytiri began, "And she is looking for some parents for him..." Neytiri looked deep into Jake's eyes, trying to get her point across.

Jake knew that look. Neytiri used it when she wanted something. And Jake figured out what she wanted. His eyes widened and then he frowned. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no. No way in hell!"

Neytiri looked at him pleadingly. "Why not?" She asked sadly, her ears dropping. "We'd be great parents! And this child needs a loving family; who better than us?"

Jake sighed. "Mo'at, can you give us the room please?" He asked. Mo'at looked at Jake weirdly, completely puzzled. "Can we be alone?" He repeated.

"Oh! Right," Mo'at nodded, ducking out of the room. Once they were alone, Jake looked at Neytiri. She still had the puppy-dog-eyes-pleading look. Jake continued to shake his head.

Neytiri frowned. "Why are you being so unreasonable?" She asked. "We can't have children, and the clan needs an heir!"

"Because, I know how they'll react. You and me, the leaders of the Omaticaya clan, adopting a child? That would seem like we've given up. Especially after all that drama with you marrying me instead of Tsu'tey... The Sully name is being dragged through the mud here!" Jake reminded her.

Neytiri stood up. "Why is adopting a child so horrible?" She asked.

Jake sighed. He didn't know how to form his thoughts into words. "At the end of the day, it won't be our own. And that won't count as an heir."

Neytiri thought, pacing across the room a little. Slowly, a smile came across her face and gripped Jake's wrist. "It can be ours..."

Jake looked at her as if she had gone insane, which she very possibly had. "Okay, what? And honey, cutting off my circulation here." Neytiri let go of Jake's wrist and beamed at him.

"We can pretend it is ours! We can... put fabric up my dress to make it look like I am with child!" She exclaimed. Jake continued to look at her as if she was born in a mental institution. Finally, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "Jake..."

"No. Neytiri, no." He stroked her cheek; she flinched away from him angrily, and Jake looked at her in shock. She'd done that once before, just before the war. Worry came into Jake's heart.

She frowned deeply and backed away from him. "You promised to do whatever it takes to make me happy... So far, you are not keeping it."

Jake felt like he had been slapped in the face. "Are you trying to blackmail me?" He asked his mate, his topaz eyes widening.

Neytiri hesitated and then she nodded. "Whatever that is, I am."

Jake's brow furrowed. He sighed and shook his head. And people asked him how he married a Na'vi. Some days, he didn't know how to answer them. He looked at Neytiri and smiled just a little. "Well, it worked."  
Neytiri looked at Jake in shock. "So... we can adopt her baby?" She asked, a large grin coming upon her face.

Jake nodded slowly. "I'm going to hate myself tomorrow..." He said quietly before Neytiri jumped on him and covered him with kisses.

"I love you, Jake. But... we need to start talking about your argument skills. You give in too easily," Neytiri smiled, gently patting his hand and then leaving him. Jake just shook his head in exasperation.


	3. The Charade Begins

**Chapter Three | The Charade Begins**

'_A man is only as sick as his secrets.' – Anonymous._

Jake definitely hated himself the next morning when he woke up. But he began to hate himself even more, especially when they told Kiyeri they would take her baby and raise it as their own. And then when they went back to their little room in Hometree and Neytiri immediately started sewing fabric together which she could use to make her 'baby bump'.

Five months into their act, it was working.

Neytiri's idea of the fabric under her dress was excellent; everyone was so excited at the prospect of an Omaticayan prince. Jake was warming to the idea, especially when they started on choosing names.

"What about... Miles?" Neytiri suggested one day when they were with Norm in the Avatar Link Room. The link room was in need of proper care, since Norm was no longer an Avatar – he was a full fledged Na'vi. Max and he had managed to resurrect Norm's Avatar, and now they were working on creating Max one. It would take a few years with the equipment they had and the fact that they had honestly no idea what they were doing, but they were making progress.

Jake looked at his wife incredulously. "'Miles'?" He echoed. "As in... Miles Quaritch?"

"Well, yes," Neytiri said. "Even though he tried to kill us, it is a nice name."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Oh sure, this is only because he didn't kill you and went after me!" Jake exclaimed. "This child is going to be a father killer."

Neytiri smiled at Jake and very realistically put a hand on her stomach. She was now wearing the maternity wear, so no one could figure out that it was actually fabric under her dress and not a real baby in her womb. "Fine, we will not name him Miles. What about Mike?"

Jake laughed. "What is it with you and 'M' names?" He asked. Neytiri had just opened her mouth to defend her choice of names when Norm came in and interrupted them.

"Well, if you don't mind, I came up with a few," he smiled, sipping at his coffee.

"Oh?" Jake asked, looking at his best friend. It was nice to be able to look at him directly, and not bend his head down like he used to do.

"Okay, well, 'Norm' if it's a boy, and 'Norma' if it's a girl!" Norm smiled. Jake and Neytiri exchanged glances.

"It's definitely a boy," Jake said slowly, "And besides, I think Neytiri here is more focused on naming him after one of our enemies." Jake's voice changed to a bitter one as he finished the sentence, looking at his wife. Jake was usually easy going, but this was his child. Well, not really, but he had to get used to that fact. And also, he had been steadily losing ground to Neytiri ever since they started this, and he wanted to win at least one argument.

Neytiri frowned and her cyan, lion-like tail flicked agitatedly. "I am not. They just have nice names."

Jake shook his head and thought for a few moments. "What about Phillip?"

"No!" Neytiri exclaimed. "This is the third time you have tried to pass Philip by me. No, and that is final."

Jake let it go. "Well, you have to help me here. I'm running out of names from the board." Neytiri arched an eyebrow and Jake pointed behind her where he was looking. Behind his mate there was a whole board with the names of all the marines which had been on Pandora before the war.

"Who said it had to be a human name?" Norm asked.

"I did," Neytiri smiled. "Then he will be different."

"And because he is already different due to his 'father' being an Avatar – or used to be – he is already going to be teased. Why do you want to make him suffer more?" Jake pointed out.

"Because, when all the women come over to 'ooh' and 'ahh' over him, I want them to be able to for once be astonished at the name. Bossy women rule this clan; you know that, ma Jake."

Jake smiled a little and whispered to Norm, "I know one rules my life." Norm sniggered.

Neytiri expression changed to one of annoyance; she'd heard that. "I am sorry, I did not quite catch that," she growled.  
"Nothing!" Jake said.

Neytiri shook her head and stood up. Jake almost forgot that she wasn't pregnant when she stood, with her rather amazing acting skills. Her acting of being a pregnant mother was becoming rather realistic as she placed a hand on her stomach and pretended to have difficulty standing up. Neither Jake nor Norm helped her; they would when people were around. Once she had gone, Norm looked at Jake. "This is going to blow up in your faces."

Jake groaned and leaned back. "I know, I know," he murmured. "But what can I do, huh? She wants this child so much. You have no idea how much."

Norm sighed. "You guys can still have a child. It's just such a low percentage and – "

" – we don't know how this child will be, mentally and physically," Jake finished. He'd heard it a million times over. "You've told me."

"I'm just trying to help."

"I know that." Jake sighed. If anyone except Norm, Max and Mo'at found out, they were screwed. They would be utterly humiliated, and Jake just didn't want to put Neytiri through that. But he also didn't want her to go through life childless. The respect of their clan would be gone, and how would he lead a clan that doesn't respect him? Jake was about to add something when Neytiri came back. "I got it! Devon."

Jake and Norm both groaned. "Neytiri, why do you hate our child?" Jake growled.

Neytiri shrugged. "I thought it was a cute name!" She said.

"If I left it to you, you'd name our son Elijah or Sequoia – "  
"Ooh, Sequoia!"  
"NO!" Jake and Norm said in unison.


	4. Careful Where You Tread

**Chapter Four | Careful Where You Tread**

'_The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted.' – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg_

Faking a pregnancy was like murdering someone and having their blood stained all over you. No matter how hard you scrubbed, you'd never get rid of the guilt or the blood in your clothes. Jake was feeling like that right now. He had told his mate he was warming to the idea, but in all truth he definitely was not. He always had the horrible feeling that something was going to go wrong, somehow someone was going to discover what they were up to, and they would be utterly humiliated.

And he was about to find out just how dangerous this lie could get.

"I just do not want a baby shower," Neytiri told Nikti as they came into the royal's lounge. Jake was already sitting there, and he slyly eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Please?" Nikti begged. "I had one. They are fun!"

"I just think they are..." Neytiri searched for the right word.

"Tacky?" Jake offered, looking at his mate.

Neytiri looked at her mate and nodded slowly. "Yes, what he said," she said to Nikti. Nikti rolled her topaz eyes.

"Please! Fine, it will not be a baby shower. What about just a fun get-together?" Nikti begged.

Neytiri sighed and looked at her friend with a shrewd look in her eyes. Nikti would never let this go and Neytiri didn't have the patience to argue it further. "Fine."

Nikti beamed and hugged her friend. "Alright! I am going to go plan. See you two later." After Nikti disappeared, Neytiri and Jake retired to their room. "Can you help me?" Neytiri asked. Jake nodded and lifted up her dress, undoing the clasp gently and letting Neytiri pull out the bundle of fabric that made her look like she was pregnant. Thank God we're in a room to ourselves, Jake thought. If someone saw them doing that, well, he didn't want to think about it. Neytiri stretched a little. "The great thing about this pregnancy is that my back does not ache and my feet do not swell."

Jake chuckled and kissed her softly. "Yes, and you won't have to go through the pain of labour." Neytiri smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him a little harder. Jake leant down to kiss her neck when she moved away. "Come on, we best get to bed. Any 'get-together' Nikti throws is very longwinded and very boring, and we need to make sure we do not fall asleep." Neytiri's prediction would unfortunately not prove to be true.

**· · ·**

Nikti, being an established get-together-planner, had the gathering up and ready by the next day. It was hosted just outside of Hometree, in the clearing, and every member of the clan was there, of course. The chirp of night dwellers in the forest and the beauty of the bioluminescent lights cast a beautiful glow on everyone, especially Neytiri. Jake found himself smiling with pride as he watched her, knowing she was his and how much he loved her. And in that glow of the forest, Neytiri looked like she was really pregnant; she looked absolutely radiant.

Just as Neytiri had predicted, it was very longwinded to start off with. Everyone wished Neytiri and Jake the best of luck, and some of Neytiri's close friends and family made speeches. As predicted, this was very longwinded, and it got even worse when Mo'at gave a speech and mentioned the traumas of Neytiri's breech birth, causing Neytiri to pale and make several of the audience members physically sick. Jake leaned over to his mate and said softly in her ear, "You never told me about that."

"I think you can see why," Neytiri pointed out, taking her hand off her belly to massage her temples gently. "Imagine hearing it for the first time on your sixteenth birthday."

After the speeches that made everyone drowsy, save for the one by Mo'at who made audience members queasy, the adults got to talking. Everyone came to try and rub Neytiri's belly, which made her uneasy, scared that they would shift some fabric, but she smiled along. The children, deciding they were bored, went to go practise with bows and arrows. One little boy, by the name of Palin, came and shook Jake's hand to get his attention. "Will you come watch us?" He asked with a smile. All the children loved attention from Jake, as he was always playing with them. Neytiri loved it when he did that. He was one of the only Omaticaya leaders who really interacted with the clan.

Jake smiled and ruffled his hair. "Aw, sorry little buddy. I have to stay here with the adults. But I can see you from here," Jake added when Palin's ears went down. Palin smiled again and then raced off. The moment he did, Jake's smile faded. Neytiri came over to him and squeezed his hand. "I don't trust his parents," Jake said softly to his mate.

"The Serlans?" Neytiri asked. "Why?"

"I don't know... I just feel they're up to something," Jake told his mate. Jake had every right to be concerned. Every family had their secrets, and though in the Omaticaya you couldn't hide anything, the Serlans were shiftier than most.

Neytiri frowned for a moment; she didn't like gossip or snitching on their friends, but she had to agree with her husband. She shook her head and took his elbow. "Come on," she said, steering him back to their friends. "And keep by me."

"It's not that I'm complaining, but why?"

"Everyone wants to rub my belly. It is annoying and worrying. Soon, they might realise that I am carrying a baby that does not kick," Neytiri said through gritted teeth.

Jake chuckled and led her over to where they were serving the food. "And I thought I was the one on edge," Jake smiled as he walked with her. A child's arrows were leaning against a nearby log while their owner went to get some food, at a dangerous ninety degree angle.  
Neytiri rolled her eyes and elbowed him. "Shut up," she murmured, turning around to flick him with her tail in a scolding way. As she did so, she didn't notice the pile of arrows, nor notice when one scraped across her stomach, snagging onto one of the pieces of fabric and pulling it out of her, making her stomach deflate somewhat noticeably. No one noticed, except for Dieln.

The young healer came over to them. "Neytiri?" He said, bending down and picking up the piece of fabric. Neytiri and Jake paled. "You dropped something..."

"Oh crap," Neytiri murmured, her lips not moving, and with a low enough volume so only Jake heard. He didn't really think about the fact that this was the first time Neytiri had ever sworn, for he was too busy fretting.

Dieln looked at Neytiri with a slight frown. Neytiri knew that look. He was calculating, trying to figure this out. Neytiri swallowed quietly and opened her mouth to try and say something to cover this when Jake jumped to her rescue. "Well... her uterine wall isn't that strong, we've been told, and it's just an extra precaution," he smiled, wrapping his arms around Neytiri's shoulders. Neytiri quickly caught on and smiled, placing a hand on her mate's which was on her chest.

Dieln frowned. "All right..." He then shook it off and smiled, handing the fabric back hesitantly. "Well, I guess you'll need this." Neytiri gingerly took the fabric from him before Jake whisked her away. He dragged her fully away from the party and everyone's view, into the forest. Dieln's eyes followed them into the forest, like a _palulukan _watching its prey. "My God, that was just too close..." Jake breathed.

Neytiri sighed and leaned against a tree. "I know."

After Jake got his heart rate down, he looked at his mate. "'Oh crap'?" He asked with a bemused smile. "First time I've heard you swear, ever."

Neytiri gave a small laugh. "If stuff like this keeps happening... you will be hearing a lot more." Neytiri shook her head and quickly put the fabric back under her dress. "And ma Jake?" She asked.

"Yes?" He asked, looking into her topaz eyes.

Neytiri smiled and kissed him lovingly before patting his cheek and saying, "Leave the lies to me."

Jake frowned. "Oh sure, because you were just going to jump in and save us," he replied. "You've never lied in your life. I have."

Neytiri nodded. "True. But in all honesty, you are not a good liar."


	5. The Tangled Webs We Weave

**Chapter Five | The Tangled Webs We Weave**

'_The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.' - Ambrose Bierce_

Jake barely got any sleep that night. The lie was getting more contorted and twisted by the day. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were going to be found out. That thought was on Jake's mind ninety percent of the time, and the only time it wasn't was when they were distracted by ways that would reveal the truth, for example the crafty stunt with the arrow. Thankfully, only Dieln had witnessed that, as far as they could tell. But he was the last person they wanted to have as a witness.

As Jake came down the stairs early that morning, Dieln was already awake. Jake didn't notice him, focusing on the stairs until a cheery, "Good morning, Jake," pierced his ears. Jake hoped Dieln didn't notice his grimace, but luckily, Dieln showed no signs of picking it up.

"Oh. Morning," Jake said to Dieln, turning to look at him with a smile; Dieln returned the smile, so Jake's heart rate slowed. He hasn't figured it out, Jake thought in relief. At least he considered that until Dieln said, "I wanted to talk to you about something." Oh, crap.

Jake turned and looked at the healer. "And what would that be?" He asked.

"I was just wondering," he began, "About how you and Neytiri realised she didn't have a strong uterine wall?"

Jake kept the smile on his face. There was nothing more deceptive than a smile, as many liars and frauds could tell you. "We visited a healer outside of the clan. Neytiri doesn't... exactly feel comfortable with her friend doing that sort of checking up," Jake replied. One lie on top of another, he thought anxiously.

Dieln nodded. "Right. Right." He paused for a moment, shook his head and then smiled at his superior. "I am sorry. I do not mean to question you."

Jake smiled. "No problem," he replied before trying to get the hell out of there before Dieln could ask any more questions. He found Neytiri with the herd of Pa'li near the river, and he grabbed her elbow, quietly commanding "You. Come.", as he dragged her towards the forest. Neytiri looked at Jake bewilderedly as he dragged her from the herd towards the forest. Once they were quite a bit away from Hometree, Jake turned around quickly and looked at his mate. "Hey, newsflash. Dieln is onto us."

Neytiri looked at Jake peculiarly. "Onto us...? What?" She asked. Sometimes Jake didn't make any sense to her.  
Jake sighed and put it in easier terms for his mate. "Dieln is figuring this whole charade out." Neytiri's brow furrowed. "He's figuring out we're lying. He. Figure out. We. Are. Lying." Jake said slowly. Neytiri rolled her eyes.

"Why do you talk to me like I am some sort of _skxawng_?" Neytiri asked with a small laugh. "That is who you are." She said this and placed a finger to his chest, poking him to emphasize her point. "I can speak English fine."

Jake growled in his throat and pushed her finger off him. "I don't think you understand how serious this is."

Neytiri smiled. "Jake, you are panicking."

"Uh-huh. Join me, won't you?" Jake said in wide-eyed panic.

Neytiri chuckled and kissed him, trying to make his angered expression go away. It worked, to an extent. "We just need to come up with better lies, that is all."

"We have one lie on top of another, Ney Ney," Jake reminded her. Neytiri rolled her topaz eyes, her tail flicking in agitation. Since when was Jake a quitter? She had never seen such a negative side of him. "And we will keep going. We are not pulling out," she warned. "And also, 'Ney Ney'? You know I hate that." Neytiri didn't think it was necessary to shorten a perfectly good name.

Jake sighed and shook his head. "Fine, fine," he said. He wanted to make Neytiri happy, he really did. But why couldn't she be placated with a pet or something? That would have made this a whole lot easier.

**· · ·**

The next day, Neytiri headed over to the old RDA base with Norm to visit Max. When they got there, Max was sitting in the old cafeteria area, trying to use chopsticks to eat a cup of two minute ramen. Norm laughed at his pathetic attempts. "Use a fork," he advised his friend, "And why are you eating that anyway?"

"Waste not, want not," Max smiled. "We have like, so many cups of noodles it's not funny. And since we can't really recycle them, might as well eat them."  
Neytiri eyed the fluoro-coloured packing with interest, as well as the interestingly shaped food that it contained. It smelled odd to her sensitive nose, and the instrument Max used to pick up the worm-like substance looked useless to her. Max looked at her eyeing the cup. "You want to try some?" He asked.

"Uh, Max, I don't know if that's a good idea – " Norm began, but Neytiri nodded with a, "Sure." Max disappeared behind the counter and started pouring the water into the cup, despite Norm's protests. He handed it to Neytiri with a fork instead of chopsticks. Neytiri looked at the steaming bowl of noodles and poked at it with the fork. Norm was about to say she didn't have to try it, but she did. A variety of expressions went over her face as she sampled the 'food'. "And?" Max asked.  
"Oh Eywa..." Neytiri said.  
"'Oh Eywa' good?" Max asked.  
Neytiri grimaced. "Oh Eywa, I cannot believe you let me put this in my mouth!" Neytiri exclaimed before rushing out of the room. Jake came into the cafeteria to find Norm and Max. "Hey, where's Neytiri?" His question was answered when he heard a retching sound. "A fake pregnancy doesn't usually give you morning sickness, you know." He looked at Norm and Max with a scowl.

Norm pointed to Max. "His idea; he gave her human food."

Max rolled his eyes. "She wanted to try it!"

"And you let her?" Jake asked.  
"Hey, you were ill for the first few days when you had their food," Max pointed out. Humans weren't usually used to pure food, at least nowadays they weren't, so it was a bit of a shock to the system for Jake. He was fine after a couple of days, but for the first few meals he felt like he had a wicked hangover.

Neytiri came out then, looking presentable. "If anyone is keeping record, I do not eat 'cup of noodles'." Her pronunciation was a bit off – she pronounced it more like 'new-dles'. Jake smiled and kissed her cheek.

Max shrugged. "Well, at least we know you won't be raiding our fridge," he chuckled. "Oh, that reminds me." He beckoned Jake, Norm and Neytiri over to the kitchen. Jake groaned as he hit his head on the low ceiling; Norm and Neytiri had been smart enough to duck down. "I'll give you two more years to stop doing that," Max laughed. Jake shook his head and rubbed it, laughing softly.

"So what did you want to show us?" Jake asked his friend. Max opened the door to show some milk bottles on the shelf. "Milk bottles. Is this your way of telling us you've discovered your inner child?" Norm cracked up at that, and Neytiri didn't get it.

Max shook his head. "For your child. Since Neytiri won't be lactating, this way you can feed your baby."

Jake looked sceptical. "Uh-huh. And how did you get the milk?"

"He modified human breast milk," Norm explained, as if that cleared everything up.

Jake vacillated. "Again, I re-iterate. How?" Norm made a slicing motion at his neck, and Jake quickly decided he didn't want to know.

Max chuckled at Norm. "Hey, do you guys have a name yet?" He asked his best friend and his mate, looking back up at Jake and Neytiri.

Neytiri smiled at Max. "Oh, thank you. And no, we have not."

"Well you can't go wrong with Max," he said with a wink.

Jake chuckled. "We'll think about it. Right now, we best get back to the clan." Neytiri smiled and they all gave Max a crushing hug goodbye before heading back home.


	6. Your Fault

**Author's note: I had to re-upload this chapter due to several mistakes that neither I or my beta picked up – so to the reader who did, thank you! This is what happens when you write at one in the morning for me, and write two different stories at the same time.**

**I have been meaning to say thank you to you guys for giving me so much support in this fan fiction – encourages me to continue it! I have never received such great reviews. I realise I have bent the Na'vi ways a bit (okay, a lot) and I realise some people aren't comfortable with that. Well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I just opted for something different! Anyway, I need some opinions from you guys though (this shall spoil it just a smidge, but not really). Should I keep up the funny side of this, and give it a slightly darker edge in the next chapters (that is, dark enough to make it an M rated fan fiction) or just keep it generally light hearted? My beta and I seem to want to keep it light hearted, since there aren't many comedy stories, but this is **_**your **_**story. Your call. Send me a message or give me a review, all right? Love you guys, and sorry about the long message. On with the story!**

**Chapter Six | Your Fault**

'_With lies you may get ahead in the world - but you can never go back.' - Russian proverb_

"I will never trust Max again," Neytiri announced as they came back to Hometree.

Norm and Jake laughed. "Well, you asked for it," Jake pointed out. Neytiri rolled her eyes. "Since you're playing the role of expectant mother, I suggest you go upstairs and get some sleep."

"Great. The more boring part of this," Neytiri muttered as she went upstairs. Neytiri wasn't one to relax; she was always finding things to do. All this unneeded resting was driving her stir crazy.

Norm watched as Neytiri left. "But she's only five months pregnant. She doesn't have to rest too much yet."

"Yes, I know. But if I didn't send her up now, we'd be hearing about her babble about Max for the next hour," Jake said flatly.

"Ooh, trouble in paradise?" Norm asked.

"Not at all," Jake insisted. Norm raised an eyebrow and Jake shook his head. "We're fine. I'm going to go visit my _ikran._"

"Has he forgiven you yet?" Norm asked. Jake's ikran had detested him for the past five months, and deliberately snubbing him for abandoning him to become _toruk makto. _The ikran thought this anger was justified; Jake felt like he should have let it go already. "I came back, didn't I?" Jake asked his ikran once. He got nothing more than an angered screech and a swift, sharp bite on the shoulder.

Right now, Jake touched his shoulder which had the small, curve-like scar where the creature had bitten him months before, and shook his head. "Not yet. I'll give him another year." Norm chuckled as Jake went up to see the ikran. He gave a whistle when he approached the top of the tree, and the mighty beast came down to him. He gave Jake a look as if to say, 'Oh. It's you. What do you want? Make it quick, I'm busy.' Jake looked at the creature and managed to place a hand on his muzzle. The ikran snorted. "Still, mad, huh?" Jake asked, trying to bond with the creature. The ikran was hesitant, but gave in. He looked at his so called 'friend' as if to say, 'Figured that out, did you?' Jake sighed and petted him.

"Is he ever going to forgive you?" Neytiri asked as she came up.

Jake turned to the voice of his mate. "I thought you were resting."

Neytiri shrugged; something she had picked up from Jake. "I was. I gave up," she chuckled, coming over to Jake's ikran. He greeted her with a snort. He wasn't too pleased with her either, but could stand her more than Jake. It was strange; ikrans weren't meant to hold grudges, but this one did with a vengeance. "He is around you too much, Jake," Norm had told him previously. "You're holding a grudge against Quaritch and everyone still, so obviously he's picked that up and feels like he can against you." Jake had rolled his eyes at Norm, thinking that was absolutely ludicrous, but he was starting to believe his best friend now when he looked into the four eyes of his other winged friend.

Neytiri's eyes drifted over to where the sun was practically gone. Where had the day disappeared to? "Come on, ma Jake. It will be dinner soon." Jake undid the bond, and the ikran shook him off, as if he was glad to be rid of Jake. Jake couldn't help but chuckle a little, as ikran retreated back to the branches. Neytiri gave a longing sort of sigh as she watched the ikran. She missed Seze so much, and she hadn't bonded with another ikran since her death. She wouldn't for a while. Jake took a hold of her hand gently and they walked downstairs together.

**· · ·**

Later that night, Neytiri's eyes fluttered open and she gave a yawn. She had gone to bed hours earlier, but it was still dark out. She looked over to her mate, who was sleeping soundly. He had his arm draped around her now flat stomach, as she didn't wear the padding to bed – it was remarkably uncomfortable. A smile came to her lips and she kissed Jake, but she got no response. That man could sleep, all right. She wriggled out of his grasp and went downstairs. Everyone was asleep, which was good, but she still tiptoed quietly down the spiral staircase. She went over to the pond to get a sip of water, and she startled some of the Pa'li who were still awake, making the herd scatter a little. "Sorry," she murmured to the animals. They wouldn't understand her words, but they would understand her soft, soothing tone of voice. She bent down to the water to take a sip when she heard, "Neytiri?" Oh, crap. Please don't let that be the person she thought that voice belonged to...

Dieln walked out of Hometree casually, totally oblivious to Neytiri's panic. Boy, he was everywhere. "Oh, hi. Dieln." Neytiri placed a hand on her stomach, and her eyes widened when she felt just the fabric of the shift she wore and her flat stomach. In her tiredness, she had forgotten about the padding; it was still upstairs. Eywa, she was screwed. Neytiri quickly turned away from Dieln, hoping he wouldn't notice. That would be impossible; he noticed _everything._ "I did not know you were up..."

Dieln came closer to Neytiri, and she winced. How was she going to get out of this? She looked over at the Pa'li herd, and an idea came to mind. She stood up and walked over to one of them, stroking its muzzle while trying to only show Dieln her back. She focused on the animal, trying not to look at Dieln. "I just came to get a drink," Dieln said, his eyes narrowing as he watched the Tsahik. She'd been acting strange around him for a time, but he'd never seen her like this. Neytiri would usually go out of her way to say hello, but for the past few months she hadn't. Dieln had chalked it up to being with child, but now he wasn't so sure. "What about you?" He asked.

"The same," Neytiri replied. She thought quickly. If she could just walk past the Pa'li and quickly turn her back on Dieln as she walked back upstairs, she'd be fine. "Well, you do that. And I will head upstairs." Neytiri was walking past the heard of Pa'li when Dieln said, "Are you okay, Neytiri? You're acting... strange."

Neytiri forced a smile as she looked slightly over her shoulder at him. "I am fine. Thank you for your concern," she said as she quickly turned around and headed upstairs. Jake was still fast asleep in their hammock, and Neytiri slipped in beside him when his eyes opened. "Where have you been?" He asked.

Neytiri hesitated. "How long have you been awake?" She asked.

"Answer the question. Where have you been?" Jake asked, turning to look into Neytiri's eyes.

Neytiri sighed. "I went to get a drink." She paused. "And I may have run into Dieln."  
Jake sat up. "And you weren't wearing the padding, were you?" He asked. It was right beside him, under the bed, and he picked it up and held it. Neytiri shook her head slowly. "Neytiri..."

"Jake, calm down – " she began, but he cut her off.

"If this was any other person, I would be worried. But this is _Dieln. _I'm really worried!" Jake growled softly, putting the padding down. He then got out of bed to look at her; she copied him, looking at him from across the hammock.

"It was just a mishap," Neytiri said softly, using a soothing tone as if she were trying to tame a wild animal.

"How many more mishaps can we put up with?" Jake growled in reply, keeping his voice and frustration down. He _never _got mad at Neytiri; she always got mad at him. It was an interesting role reversal. "First it was the arrow in the stomach that took your fabric out and now this. Dieln must know something is up!" Neytiri sighed and Jake shook his head. He looked at her. "We could go on a trip. And say you miscarried while we were away." Neytiri would be humiliated that way as well, but it was better that way than the clan finding out that there was no such thing as a baby with Jake and Neytiri's blood running through its veins.

Neytiri looked at him in shock, gaping at him. "And what would happen to the baby?"

"Kiyeri would keep it!" Jake exclaimed.

"Do you think Kiyeri could raise this child?" Neytiri asked Jake in shock. Jake was about to say something when Neytiri cut him off. She turned away from him. "Jake, you have seen her! She is shallow and self-centred. She would ruin the child's life!" Her eyes looked back to Jake, sorrow in them.

Jake let his anger fade a little as he watched his mate say those things about her cousin. Neytiri never said a bad thing about anyone. "What makes you so sure?" Jake asked her.

Neytiri hesitated, tears brimming in her eyes. "Because I am her family. And we know what we have created and that is the real humiliation..." Jake felt his ears fall a little. He walked over to Neytiri, going around their hammock. He placed a hand on her shoulder, at a loss of how to comfort her. Neytiri looked up at him. "Jake, this child deserves better. And Kiyeri would destroy him. Please... Please let us try."

Jake sighed and kissed the top of her head. He smiled a little. "You're going to be a great mother."

Neytiri sniffed a little and smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you. Thank you... And you are going to be a great father." Jake let a smile come over his face, which Neytiri couldn't see. And he was glad, for it wasn't genuine.


	7. The Worst Thing Imaginable

**Chapter Seven | The Worst Thing Imaginable**

'_Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.' - Proverbs 16:18_

The months flew by, and the Omaticaya clan was excited for Jake and Neytiri, due to the fact that within a couple weeks they would have a prince. Neytiri was preparing in earnest for the child's arrival, and Jake mainly stayed out of the way. She was wearing a lot of padding now, to make it seem like she was eight and a half months pregnant, which was beginning to get quite annoying, and even managed to give her back aches which, while they did make the pregnancy more realistic, were as annoying as hell. Kiyeri was still staying out of the way, and was, as far as they knew, with another clan that was not her own. Neytiri was somewhat worried for her, but she knew Kiyeri was a strong girl. She'd managed to keep herself and the baby alive all this time, after all.

"All right, what about Dimitri?" Jake suggested. They still hadn't decided on a name for the baby, and Neytiri was still insistent on him having a human name.

Neytiri grimaced. "Sounds... Well..."

"Too girl-ish?" Norm suggested.

"Yes," Neytiri said. She turned to her mate then with a loving smile. "Come on. What is wrong with Sequoia?"

Jake laughed. "And you thought Dimitri was feminine?" He asked incredulously. Neytiri shrugged when Mo'at came in, looking flustered. "_Sa'nok_, what's wrong?" Jake asked. He called Mo'at 'mother' now, since they were so close. Neytiri was so grateful Jake and Mo'at got along so well – most in-laws didn't get along with their sons and daughters-in-law. Now, she turned to look at her mother, and her heart rate accelerated.

Mo'at hesitated. "I do not want to worry you... But a healer from the clan Kiyeri is staying at has come." Jake and Neytiri exchanged glances and looked back at Mo'at. "It seems Kiyeri took a fall..."

**· · ·**

"She is eight and a half months pregnant! What the hell was she doing riding a Pa'li?" Neytiri exclaimed as she paced around their room. Jake was sitting on the hammock, and Norm was leaning against the wall.

Jake sighed. He was getting used to Neytiri cussing, but it still caught him by surprise. "She's obviously bored."

Neytiri groaned. "I was hoping she would use these months as a time for... thinking."

"She is sixteen years old. You remember what it was like to be sixteen. It's a rebellious time," Jake pointed out.

"Sure, but she got knocked up. Isn't that rebellious enough?" Norm pointed out.

Jake turned on his friend. "Zip it!" He snarled. Jake had reached the end of his tether, and unfortunately had to take it out on Norm. Norm's cat-like ears flew back and he kept quiet. Jake never snapped at him, and Jake sighed. "Sorry," he apologised. Norm nodded. This was obviously taking a toll on Jake as well.

"Both of you calm down," Neytiri sighed. She sat down beside her mate and took his hand in hers. Jake wasn't the one to worry about this fake pregnancy – Neytiri was. What had changed?

"Well the healer will be checking up on her. We'll have to wait until then," Norm said. He got up. "I'll leave you two be." Once Norm had left, Neytiri rested her head on Jake's shoulder. He kissed her forehead tenderly, murmuring loving words in her ear. He could feel how tense she was, and he was trying to calm her down.

It didn't really work, as for the rest of the day, Neytiri was on the edge. Jake was too, but for an entirely different reason. For the majority of the day, they waited anxiously for a member of Kiyeri's surrogate clan to come and tell them what happened. When they laid their heads down that night, Neytiri just couldn't fall asleep. Jake sighed. "Neytiri, calm down."

"Calm down? _Calm down_?" She echoed. She sighed and looked at Jake. "What happens if her actions..." Neytiri looked away; she couldn't finish.

Jake wrapped his arms around his mate and kissed her neck. "We can only hope."

And hope they did, for hours after that. The next day, they hadn't got any news. Neytiri was terribly worried for the whole morning, until a Na'vi male came to the clan. His name was Txep'tey, and he was healer of the clan Kiyeri's foster clan. Jake grimaced as he came and he beckoned him to come upstairs. Txep'tey knew of their situation, but couldn't help but be a little surprised as he saw Neytiri come out to greet them both. She was wearing the padding, and though she claimed she was worried someone would come and see her, Jake got the impression she was just holding onto it, like it was the last thread of hope they had.

Txep'tey sat down and looked at Jake and Neytiri. "It seems that Kiyeri sustained a... reasonable injury from her fall." Neytiri's breath caught. "It caused a placental abruption, where the placenta separates from the uterus."  
Neytiri's hand flew to her throat. "Oh..."

"Don't panic – there are degrees of this," Txep'tey added quickly.

"Well, how long till you know?" Jake asked, trying to keep his impatience down. Na'vi medicine was different to humans. While it was effective – much more effective in the long run – the time it took was painfully long.

"We will know within a few hours," Txep'tey told Jake.

Neytiri looked at Jake. "I cannot wait that long... I have to be with her."

Jake nodded understandingly and looked at Txep'tey. "We'll follow you back to the clan." Txep'tey bowed in response and walked down with them to where his Pa'li was waiting.

**· · ·**

A few hours later they arrived at a small, remote clan on the plains. As Jake looked around at the small tepee like huts on the ground, he had the painful memory of when he and Neytiri flew to the Horse Clan almost a year ago, calling them to battle. The leader had been killed in the war, leaving behind his mate and his baby daughter, Akwey. The Omaticaya helped the clan get back on their feet after the devastation, and the Horse Clan were one of the clans who had a strong connection to the Omaticaya; Jake hoped that it would stay that way.

Neytiri practically jumped off the Pa'li, and Jake was very thankful no one saw. Even though Txep'tey knew, and the whole clan knew Kiyeri was heavy with child, they didn't know that Jake and Neytiri were taking the child in. They followed Txep'tey quickly to the tent where Kiyeri was residing. Kiyeri was resting on her back, and she gasped and sat up quickly when Neytiri and Jake came in. "Jake! Neytiri! W-What are you doing here?"

Neytiri had tried to prepare herself to see Kiyeri, but she still got a shock when she saw the state she was in. Kiyeri was so young; how was it possible that she could carry a child, and that the child seemed to be so big, the way her stomach was swollen. Neytiri sighed and swept over to her bedside, sitting beside her. "We came to see you. How are you feeling?" Neytiri was kind for those few moments that she said that, but then her expression turned hard. "And what the hell was going through your mind?" Jake quickly decided to leave them; this was girls' business, and he didn't want to get in the middle.

Once Jake was gone, Kiyeri sighed. "I'm bored. All I do is lay around."

"Being pregnant, that is all you _should _be doing," Neytiri growled softly. Kiyeri's ears shot back at her cousin's hostility. Neytiri calmed down and shook her head in disappointment. "What was going through your mind...? What if you hurt the baby?"

Kiyeri rolled her eyes. "I'm sure the baby is fine. You need to calm down."

Neytiri raised an eyebrow. "'Calm down'?" She echoed. Kiyeri had really turned into a human. Well, Neytiri wasn't one to judge, but still. "It is '_mawey_' – do not forget your native tongue." Neytiri shook her head. "How could you be riding a Pa'li? Where did you get one?"

Kiyeri looked at Neytiri as if she was an idiot. "It's the _Horse Clan._ They have Pa'li everywhere!"

"Let me ask it again. How did someone let you?" Neytiri sighed.

"Let me just say, when you have guys in this clan, you can get them to do certain things," Kiyeri smirked.

It took Neytiri a second to catch on. She made a face and stood up quickly. "Oh! You are just... Impossible! No wonder you are pregnant!" Neytiri growled. She scowled at Kiyeri and shook her head. She was definitely the black sheep of the family, and the worst kind. "You are coming to the clan with Jake and myself."

Kiyeri looked up. A smile came over her face. "Really? You're going to get me out of this jail?"

Neytiri frowned. "You should be grateful to this clan," she said to her cousin. "And do not think for even a second you are free, young lady, because you are not. When you come with us, you are going to stay _in the room until the baby is born._" Kiyeri's eyes widened. She frowned then. Neytiri felt terribly evil as she smiled. "Yes. You shall be trading one 'jail' for another." Neytiri got up then and started to walk out as Kiyeri called, "You cannot make me go there! And Jake wouldn't allow it." Neytiri felt a wider smile come over her face as she turned to Kiyeri. She went back over to her and sat beside her. "Let me just say, when you have Jake as a leader and as a mate – oh, how did you put it – you can get him to do certain things." Neytiri smirked in the way Kiyeri had to imply her meaning, and then left.


	8. What I'm Afraid Of

**Chapter Eight | What I'm Afraid Of**

'_Troubles are a lot like babies - they grow bigger if you nurse them.' – Author Unknown_

"Thank God the baby is all right," Norm said the next day in the royal's lounge to Jake. The royal's lounge was near Jake and Neytiri's section of Hometree, and only Mo'at, Neytiri, Jake and Norm were allowed there. Max would be too, when his Avatar was mature enough to drive.

Jake sighed and placed his head in his hands. Norm looked at his friend with concern. "What's wrong?"

Jake sighed. "I'm just worried."

Norm raised an eyebrow. "But the baby is fine. Why are you worried?"

Jake got out of the chair he had been sitting in and looked at Norm, but not directly at first. "That's not why I'm worried." He hesitated. "Can I tell you something?"

Norm chuckled. "You make this sound like high school," he pointed out. "But sure?"

Jake sighed and looked away. "When we heard about Kiyeri's fall... I didn't care."

Norm was somewhat shocked by this. "But you seemed like you – "

"Cared?" Jake finished. He nodded. "Sure. But I didn't. In all honesty, I was so relieved. I was so relieved that this baby could be dead." Jake shook his head sadly and looked at the floor. "I feel terrible for even thinking it."

Norm sighed. "You weren't exactly ecstatic about this to begin with." He looked at Jake and then asked, "Have you told Neytiri how you feel?"

Jake couldn't help but laugh a bit, but it wasn't a happy laugh. "Not at all. You know how she feels about this. How can I tell her that?" Norm didn't know what to say. "Norm. What happens when this child is born, and I don't love it as my own?"

Norm was usually full of answers, which was why he was Jake's advisor a lot of the time. But this time, he didn't really know what to say. Norm sighed and then said, "You're just going to have to try."

**· · ·**

Neytiri came into hers and Jake's room, where Kiyeri was sprawled on their hammock. She was staying there, since no one came around here – Jake had made it off-limits to the clan. "Neytiri needs her rest. We should leave her be," he said to the members with a smile. They didn't question him. The only problem with Kiyeri staying in their room was at night. Jake had been kicked out of his own hammock, and he had been reduced to sleeping on the floor. This baby had better be worth it, Jake had thought on more than one occasion.

Neytiri sat down on the bed beside Kiyeri. Kiyeri was so bored, and she rolled her eyes as Neytiri came in. "Oh, look who it is: Mrs. Sullen," Kiyeri growled softly, making a play on Neytiri's last name.

Neytiri shook her head and looked at her hands. "I know you are mad. But you have to stay in here. It is your reputation."

"Since when do you care about my reputation?" Kiyeri asked her. She looked at her cousin. "You mean _your _reputation."

Neytiri looked up. "Excuse me?"

"You are so obsessed with keeping your members' respect, you are taking someone else's baby and making it yours so they don't kick you off the throne," Kiyeri said. "I'm not dumb."

Neytiri felt like she had been slapped. "Sweetheart... You were in trouble. I wanted to help."

"But in helping me, you helped yourself," Kiyeri said. Neytiri looked at Kiyeri in absolute awe, before she looked away; Kiyeri had nailed her. Kiyeri looked at her, somewhat amused. "Now I've upset you?"

Neytiri looked back at her younger cousin with a frown. "You know, maybe it is time you went back to the Horse Clan."

Kiyeri shrugged. "Whatever. I just want this thing out of me," she said, resting her hand on her swollen belly.

Neytiri bit her lip. She had to say what was on her mind. She had to warn Kiyeri. "You know, Kiyeri," Neytiri began, shifting her position so she was sitting more on the hammock, making it sway a little, "Giving up your son might be harder than you think."

Kiyeri scoffed. "Please. It will be the easiest thing I have ever done. What has this baby done but make me fat and ruin what could have been the best year of my life?"

Neytiri closed her eyes and exhaled. "Well, I just think that, if it were me – "  
"Stop!" Kiyeri said, interrupting her cousin. "Who says I feel anything you do? I am nothing like you, Neytiri!" Anger flashed in Kiyeri's sun-kissed eyes as she looked at Neytiri.

Neytiri smiled a little. "You always say that like you are proud. Well, the moment I see a glimmer of myself or the rest of our family in you, I will be pleased."

"Well don't hold your breath," Kiyeri said sarcastically, with an overly dramatic roll of her eyes. Neytiri shook it off and got up, starting to walk away. "Wait," Kiyeri began, and Neytiri turned around, "On second thought... Do." Kiyeri smirked. Neytiri growled softly and left.


	9. Now He Knows, What Do We Do?

**Chapter Nine | Now He Knows, What Do We Do?**

'_Childbirth is more admirable than conquest, more amazing than self-defense, and as courageous as either one.' – Gloria Steinem_

Jake was planning, very wisely, on them and Kiyeri staying out of the spotlight until Kiyeri delivered the upcoming child. Unfortunately, the clan had other ideas.

Neytiri was walking with Nikti out of Hometree, and they were conversing in Na'vi rapidly. Jake was sitting on a log, cleaning his bow. He looked up as the two women approached. "_Kaltxi, _you – " He began, but Neytiri cut him off with a "Shh!" Jake looked at the two women, bewildered, as they continued their conversation. He could understand sixty percent of it – something to do with a party. Wait, what? Another one?

Nikti gave a laugh and then turned to her leader. "Sorry, sir," she said in English now.

"We are just discussing a baby shower," Neytiri smiled to her mate, moving to sit beside him on the log. She rested her hand on her swollen fake stomach, and beamed at him.

Jake looked at Nikti and Neytiri. "But didn't you have one a few months back?" He spoke his thought from a few moments ago.

Neytiri nodded. "Yes, but this is a royal baby," she explained, "And thus it needs an Eywa shower."

Jake looked at Neytiri, somewhat confused. "So, sort of like a christening?" He asked. It was now Neytiri's turn to look confused. "Never mind. But couldn't you have done that in the baby shower? I mean these things go on forever..." Jake trailed off as Neytiri arched an eye ridge. "I mean, sure. We can do that."

Neytiri smiled once more. "Excellent!" Her reaction was basically the same as Kiyeri's when they discussed it that night. Jake and Neytiri had been talking privately, but Kiyeri had been eavesdropping.

Kiyeri came into the royal's lounge and exclaimed, "A party? Cool! Can I come?"

Neytiri's eyes widened. "Are you out of your mind?" She asked. She couldn't believe Kiyeri had made such a request.

Kiyeri frowned. "If you think about it, it's _my _party," she pointed out. Jake sort of saw the logic in that, but mainly he saw the stupidity of the idea. How would they explain Kiyeri's pregnant figure?

Neytiri snarled softly. "You are eight and a half months pregnant. Until you give birth, no parties! And you should be resting!" Kiyeri groaned and stormed off back to Jake and Neytiri's room in a huff. Neytiri shook her head and looked at Jake. "You said that these sorts of things were boring before."

Jake sighed. "Okay, I admit that came off badly. But it is."

Neytiri couldn't help but agree. She just had to frown before at Jake since Nikti was around. "Well, what if we had some... entertainment? Someone put on a skit."

"And how, pray tell, would we find someone this late?" Jake laughed.

Neytiri shrugged. "Well then. We shall just have to sit through it. But trust me, this one will be a lot of fun." Jake was sceptical, but he didn't say anything else.

**· · ·**

The party was an exact replica of the one they had a few months before; more speeches, more boring. Jake was just glad Mo'at didn't stand up and make the audience ill with her private family stories, like she had done before. As they had before, everyone came up to rub Neytiri's stomach, and she gripped Jake's hand as they did. She was so worried they would shift fabric. It would be terrible for someone to ruin the whole charade now, when they were so close. Neytiri was wearing a different shift this time – one that was stained red. She explained to Jake that it symbolised blood, but he had already figured that out. Everyone was wishing them good luck, since they wouldn't see Neytiri much after the birth – she would be so busy with the little one, and would barely have time for clan life. Nikti came up to Jake, Neytiri and Norm, and hugged Neytiri. "I am going to miss you, Ney Ney," she said.

Jake frowned at that. "How come she gets to call you 'Ney Ney', then?" He asked his mate softly. Neytiri shrugged in reply and hugged Nikti back. "I am going to miss you, too. But I shall make sure I put some time aside for my family and friends."

"You say that now. Just you wait till the little ankle biter arrives," Nikti laughed.

Norm chuckled. "Ankle biter? That's not real – " He was interrupted by Nikti's next statement. She was looking over Neytiri's shoulder as she hugged her, and Neytiri almost fainted when she said, "Hey, is that Kiyeri?"

Jake paled and he whipped around. Sure enough, there was Kiyeri, standing by herself in the sea of people. Heavily pregnant Kiyeri. Neytiri wasn't the fainting type, but she was pretty sure she could keel over just now. The blood drained out of Norm's face as well as he spotted Kiyeri – was she out of her mind? Norm answered his own question; of course she was. Nikti waved to Kiyeri and went to hug her. "I expressly forbid her to come tonight! Who does she think she is?" Neytiri snarled under her breath. Norm peered at Kiyeri and took in the clothing she was wearing. It was the Omaticaya maternity wear, but the slight embroidery on the shoulder gave it away. "Apparently, you," Norm answered his friend. Just like the Na'vi often marked their bow to make it theirs, the women often did the same to their maternity wear, and the embroidery was clearly Neytiri's.

Neytiri growled and marched over to Kiyeri with Jake as Nikti greeted her. Norm stayed behind; he didn't want to get into the middle of this. Nikti hugged Kiyeri and said, "What is with the costume?"

Kiyeri laughed. "I'm the entertainment for tonight. I'm being Neytiri." Neytiri paled rather visibly; she was going to murder Kiyeri.

Nikti gave an 'aww'. "It looks so realistic!" She said, placing a hand on Kiyeri's stomach. "Wow, I could have sworn I felt a kick!"

Kiyeri smiled and said in Neytiri's voice, "You stop that, baby Sully. We do not kick people – unless they are humans!" Kiyeri was in for a world of pain. Neytiri gasped as Kiyeri 'acted' her. She didn't sound anything like that, and she never _said _anything like that! Neytiri came to her cousin's side and entwined her arm around hers, giving Nikti a smile and saying, "Excuse us." She hauled Kiyeri off over to where Jake was. He looked at Kiyeri with a disappointed frown. Neytiri let go of her cousin and growled at her. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Neytiri exclaimed. She was praying this was a bad dream; unlikely, though.

Kiyeri smirked. "Well, you did say to be more like you, did you not?" She asked in a smart ass way.

"That is not what I meant, and you know it," Neytiri growled. "Now go back to bed."

"Like hell! This is the most fun I have had in eight months," Kiyeri growled.

"Do not test me, young lady, else I will drag you out of her myself!" Neytiri threatened.

Kiyeri gave an exaggerated yawn. Jake's jaw tightened and his tail flicked agitatedly. How could she be so rude? He wanted to slap and shake her, but of course he restrained himself, as he was once a marine – he learnt self control. Kiyeri turned her gaze to Neytiri. "Ha, you? Make a scene? That's a laugh!" Kiyeri smirked, but then it faded. There was a sloshing sound.  
Neytiri rolled her eyes. "What now?" She asked. Jake's eyes widened and he patted Neytiri's shoulder. "Not now, Jake! I am scolding!" Jake shook his head and pointed to the floor. Neytiri's eyes widened.

Kiyeri bit her lip. "I think my water just broke."

"Oh sweet heavenly Lord," Jake gasped.

"Hey, what happened to the floor?" A young child asked. At least no one really noticed the young child's exclamation, but they would. Jake and Neytiri exchanged glances. Crap.

Neytiri quickly laughed. "Kiyeri! You were meant to save that till the end of the night!" Kiyeri was clearly in pain, but now she looked at Neytiri, perplexed. Neytiri smiled. "The best part of the skit where she pops the water balloon!" Oh, that had to be the crappiest lie of this whole thing. Neytiri quickly turned Kiyeri around and snarled, "Norm! _Sa'nok!" _At the sound of their names, Norm and Mo'at came quickly. They hurried away from the party, going around. By some miracle, no one noticed their departure. Jake and Norm were supporting Kiyeri by placing her arms around their necks and helping her walk. "Do you think we have time to get Txep'tey?" Norm asked.

"No, he's coming!" Kiyeri cried in pain.

Neytiri quickly thought. "Okay. Everyone upstairs. Now!" They did so, and the moment they were there, Norm tried to lead Kiyeri to Jake and Neytiri's bedroom. "Not our section! Go to the lounge!" Neytiri commanded.

Jake let go of Kiyeri. "Norm, take Kiyeri to the lounge. Get some water and fabric. Don't worry, I am a doctor!"

Neytiri's ears flickered at Jake's somewhat slurred speech. She whirled around to him. "You are a leader! What if there are problems?"

Jake blinked. "Should the need arise, we will simple call an ambulance."  
"A what?" Neytiri asked anxiously.

"Ambulance!" Jake smiled.

Neytiri peered at her mate. "How many of those alcoholic drinks did you have?"

"There was drink in that alcohol?" Jake asked.

Neytiri put her palm to her forehead. "I am going to get Dieln." They had no choice. Neytiri hurried down the stairs and back to the party. Dieln had been socialising with some friends of his and Neytiri popped in, saying, "Sorry. Need to steal Dieln for a moment!" She grabbed his elbow and whisked him away.

Dieln stared at Neytiri. "Neytiri! Neytiri, what is wrong?" He asked as his leader pulled him away. She seemed to be in a frantic hurry.

"I need your services as a healer," Neytiri explained hurriedly, in an anxious tone. "But you must promise that not a word of this gets out!"

"Would this have anything to do with the pregnancy you and Jake have been faking?"

**· · ·**

Neytiri held Kiyeri's hand as she pushed. "Come on, Kiyeri," she encouraged. Kiyeri cried out in pain. Jake had always wondered what was more painful – being kicked in the privates, or birth. From Kiyeri's anguished screams, he could guess that it was the latter.

Kiyeri panted hard, sweat dripping down her forehead, tears streaming from her eyes. "Let it be over...!" She yelped. Jake took her other hand, and closed his eyes as Kiyeri's nails dug into his skin. He quickly reminded himself that the pain he was experiencing was nothing compared to what this girl was going through.

Dieln nodded. "I can see the head," he announced.

"Let me see!" Neytiri exclaimed, going around. Her eyes widened when she saw what Kiyeri was going through. "Oh... dear Eywa, Kiyeri, how the hell are you doing this...?" No wonder Mo'at always used the excuse that she struggled giving birth to Neytiri. She had always shrugged it off; she never would again.

Kiyeri snarled. "YOU ARE NOT HELPING!" She roared at Neytiri. Neytiri quickly came back to stand by her head, taking her hand once more.

"Okay, Kiyeri, I need you to give one big push," Dieln quietly ordered.

"I can't!" Kiyeri sobbed. Neytiri felt her heart breaking as she watched Kiyeri. She would gladly swap positions with her to take the pain away.

"Yes, you can," Dieln said in a soothing tone. "On the count of three. One, two, three." Kiyeri gripped Neytiri's hand more and pushed hard, her face scrunched up in pain. Jake closed his eyes as Kiyeri dug her nails into his palm more, and then his ears flickered as he heard the sound of a baby crying. Neytiri looked up, over Kiyeri's knee.

Dieln smiled and took the small child. "It is a beautiful baby boy," he said, handing him to Neytiri. Neytiri took the child gingerly, and Jake came over to her. Neytiri felt her eyes brimming with tears as she held her son. After months of conniving and trickery... it was all over. They had their baby. He was absolutely perfect. The child opened its eyes and looked at Jake and Neytiri. Jake smiled. "_Oel ngati kameie, _my son," he whispered.

Kiyeri managed to raise her head to look at the child, but she stopped herself. She couldn't. She turned away. Dieln patted her hand and, before Kiyeri could protest, Dieln picked her up to take her away to rest, leaving Jake and Neytiri alone with their child.

Neytiri looked at the small baby in her arms. "Jake... we did it," she smiled, kissing the top of the child's head. She turned to her mate. "Thank you... for everything."

Jake looked into the topaz eyes of his love and smiled. "No. Thank you."


	10. Tom Eytukan Sully

**Chapter Ten | Tom Eytukan Sully**

'_Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.' – Elizabeth Stone_

"Come on, I think it's my turn to hold him," Jake chuckled as he watched his wife coo over the small baby in her arms. They were still in the royal's lounge, with Jake standing over his mate and child while they bonded. Kiyeri hadn't had a chance to hold the baby, as the baby needed to bond with Neytiri – its 'real' mother. Jake had felt sorry for Kiyeri, seeing her expression as she looked at the baby. He could have sworn he saw sorrow and remorse in her eyes, but he didn't say anything as he was more preoccupied with the baby.

"Three more minutes?" Neytiri pleaded, never taking her eyes of their son. She still couldn't believe it; they were parents. It was an overwhelming feeling.

Jake smiled. He loved the image of Neytiri with their baby. _Their baby. _It was so surreal. "Three more minutes, hmm? Didn't you say that... five minutes ago?" Jake chortled, coming up to stand behind his mate. He looked down at the small little creature in her arms. The baby was tiny, but much bigger than a human baby would ever be. He had intelligent topaz eyes, ones that matched Neytiri's perfectly. His facial structure was just like Kiyeri's, and Jake hoped that there was enough Neytiri in him for him to pass off as their child. There would be, undoubtedly, since Neytiri and Kiyeri looked rather similar.

Neytiri looked up at Jake. "You can stop worrying now," she said, guessing his thoughts.

Jake chuckled. "I've been carrying worry for so long. I think I would be lonely without it," he joked. Neytiri smiled kindly and looked back at the baby. They still didn't have a name for him. Jake waited for several drawn-out moments before trying again. "Can I hold him now?"

Neytiri laughed softly and gently passed the baby to her mate. Jake gently took the child in his arms, being so careful. He was so fragile, and seemed so defenceless. Jake didn't want to do anything else but hold and protect him. Jake peered down at the little one in his arms and rocked him very gently. The baby was awfully quiet, but sometimes gave a little chirp or a gurgling sound. Jake smiled and pressed his lips to his son's forehead. "Hey there... little guy," Jake cooed softly. The baby's eyes locked onto his and reached his tiny fingers out to Jake slightly. Jake smiled. "Hey... I'm your daddy." Neytiri smiled as she watched her mate and her son. As Jake looked at the small child, he realised something – he would have no trouble loving this child as his own. The baby had already stolen his heart, and he loved him.

**· · ·**

A small while after the family bonding session, Neytiri came to visit the other part of her family that was in her room. Kiyeri was sitting up in the hammock, which surprised Neytiri – she would have thought she'd have gone to bed. Kiyeri was wearing a sort of robe to keep her warm, and Neytiri was as well. It was a custom for the Na'vi women to do so after birth, and it sort of followed the human ways of a hospital robe.

Neytiri was holding the child in her arms as she came into her and Jake's section. "How are you feeling?" She asked Kiyeri.

Kiyeri's expression was blank, and her tone held no emotion as she replied, "Tired." She turned her eyes to Neytiri, trying to ignore the gurgling bundle in her arms. "Did Dieln leave?"

Neytiri nodded slowly and came into the room a little more. "Yes, he did. And he swore that not a word would be mentioned of what happened here tonight."

Kiyeri gave small nod and then looked away. "That's good I guess..." Kiyeri didn't know why she was feeling like this, why she had a pit of knots in her stomach that kept getting tighter and tighter as she forced herself to not stare at the baby. Her baby, but not her baby at all. She bit her lip before asking, "How is he?"

Neytiri looked away from Kiyeri to gaze into the eyes of the child in her arms. The baby's eyes were half closed, but he reached out to Neytiri a little. She smiled softly. "He is absolutely perfect," she said, feeling a wave of different emotions wave over her: content, surprise, anxiety, excitement... Neytiri raised her head up to look at Kiyeri, and her heart just fell. She knew it; Kiyeri was regretting it. Neytiri felt terrible. She knew she shouldn't, as it would probably hurt Kiyeri more, but it might just help her a little. "Well he is... all cleaned up now if you want to hold him?" Neytiri looked back at the child so she didn't see Kiyeri give a shake of her head. Kiyeri hesitated and looked up at Neytiri, tears brimming in her eyes. Neytiri looked back to her cousin, and Kiyeri nodded then, holding out her arms. Is this the right thing to do?, Neytiri wondered, but nevertheless, she handed the baby to Kiyeri.

Kiyeri took the small child into her arms and exhaled slowly. Neytiri elegantly sat on the side of the hammock, watching Kiyeri and the baby. Kiyeri felt that interesting sensation of prickling at the back of her throat, and she finally looked at the baby.

And once she had, she wished she hadn't.

Kiyeri felt tears rushing out from her eyes as she looked at her kin. She sniffed, trying to stop herself from crying in front of Neytiri, but she couldn't. "He's so beautiful," Kiyeri sniffed.

Neytiri bit her lip. "He looks just like you," Neytiri murmured softly.

Kiyeri shook her head and looked up at her cousin, smiling through her tears. "No... Just like you." Neytiri gave a smile and felt tears start to run down her face. Kiyeri looked back at the baby for a moment before looking at Neytiri. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused..."

Neytiri shook her head and patted Kiyeri's hand. "Don't be," she murmured softly. "It was all fine in the end."

Kiyeri sniffed. "No, I still shouldn't have done what I did... I could have destroyed everything," she sobbed softly.

Neytiri felt tears run down her cheeks and she moved to hug her cousin. "Shh, shh... It is all right, sweetheart..." Kiyeri awkwardly hugged Neytiri, wrapping one arm around her neck, since she didn't want to disturb the baby. Neytiri pulled away after a bit and sighed. She knew she was going to possibly regret the answer to this question, but she had to ask. "Do you feel like you are making a mistake?" Neytiri got a real kick from saying that; what if she said 'yes'?

Kiyeri hesitated before shaking her head, and Neytiri felt relief wash over her. "No it's... it's the right thing to do by everyone," she smiled.

"Kiyeri... do you want to be alone with him? Should I stay or... should I go? What should I do?" Neytiri asked. Kiyeri hesitated and she shifted the child in her arms gently, holding him out for Neytiri. As she did, it felt like her heart was being ripped in two. "You should take him..." Neytiri hesitated before gently picking up the baby and holding him close to her chest. "But you were right." Neytiri looked back at her cousin. Kiyeri gave a small laugh, trying to stop crying, but she couldn't. "It is just... awful." Neytiri nodded slowly. Kiyeri looked at her. "You're going to be a great mother to him... I know it."

Neytiri felt a fresh tear run down her cheek. "Thank you," she replied softly.

Kiyeri nodded. "I think I'm going to rest now."

"Okay," Neytiri said softly, standing up from the hammock. She gently cradled the child, cooing over him softly as she left the room. Kiyeri watched with a heavy heart as Neytiri went with her child. Kiyeri knew she would be nothing but an aunt to him, and it killed her. Neytiri had been right all along – no one should have to go through the pain of giving up a child. It was the worst feeling in the world.

**· · ·**

The next day, Norm, Max and Mo'at came to coo over the Sully baby. Kiyeri had left at dawn, to go back to her own clan. Neytiri had been the one to wish her, and they hugged for a long time. All the while Neytiri couldn't help but worry. What if Kiyeri came to regret her decision? She didn't know what would happen then.

For now, Mo'at held the small baby as she sat beside her daughter. Jake hovered over them, and Max stood beside Jake with Norm beside him. Mo'at fussed over her first grandchild. "He is so beautiful," she tutted over him. Neytiri and Jake exchanged smiles; they certainly thought so. The baby reached up to his grandma, and Mo'at took his tiny hand. "Hello! I am your grandma." Jake smiled softly. The child had really melted Mo'at's heart. Jake had seen her smile and all, but never to this extent. It was an emotional day for them all.

Norm smiled and examined the little baby with adoring eyes. "And I am your uncle Norm. I'm gonna spoil you rotten!" Jake and Neytiri laughed at this, and Jake gently bent down to kiss the top of Neytiri's head, placing his hands on her shoulders. Neytiri looked up at him with love in her eyes, and kissed his lips softly.

"Okay, now," Max began, "No fighting. But we still need a name for this little guy."

Norm thought. He then looked at Jake. "Well, I came up with one."

Jake groaned. "Oh dear," he laughed. "If you suggest Norm again..."

Norm shook his head. "Well, what is wrong with that name?" He asked, appearing offended. He smiled to let Jake know he was kidding. "Well, I came up with a full name for him – middle name and all."

Neytiri looked at Norm. "All right, let us hear it."

Norm smiled. "What about, 'Tom Eytukan Sully'?" Jake and Neytiri exchanged glances. Why hadn't they thought of that before? "It's great, right? After your brother, Jake, and your father." He looked at Neytiri when he said the latter.

Neytiri smiled. "I really like that."

Jake looked at the baby. "Yes, I do too."

Max smiled and looked at his little nephew. "Hey, Tom. Tom?" He asked the baby. The child made no reply. "Nothing. I don't think that's his name," he joked. Jake nudged him gently and laughed.

"No roughhousing around the baby," Norm chastised. Jake chuckled. Mo'at smiled and looked back at the baby. She felt so touched to know they were naming him after her late mate. She really missed Eytukan, just like she missed Neytiri's sister. So many of the people she cared about had been taken from her. It was good to know she now had someone to lavish all her attention on. Tom really was going to be spoilt.

Neytiri smiled and patted one of Jake's hands. "We will have to let him meet everyone soon."

Jake chuckled. "They're going to love him." Jake just knew they would. Tom was the perfect little prince.


	11. Surprise, Surprise

**Chapter Twelve | Surprise, Surprise**

'_We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up.' – Phyllis Diller_

In so many ways, the days in the next year were the happiest of Jake and Neytiri's lives. Young Tom kept them incredibly busy, especially when he started to crawl around, and then started walking at ten months. He was growing too fast for his loving parents to keep up. Neytiri had started calling Jake 'daddy' around Tom a few months before, and he did the opposite for her, hoping that these would be his first words. Unfortunately, the plan backfired; Tom's first word wasn't 'mama' or 'dada', but 'Jakey'. Jake tried not to take offense. "No, no, no, pal! It's 'dada'! Can you say, 'dada'?" Jake asked Tom as he bounced his little boy on his knee. Tom cocked his head to the side as he heard Jake speak. He gave his father a huge smile and said, "Jakey!"

Jake groaned in exasperation. "I swear he's doing this just to tick me off," he said to his wife at one point when Tom had called him 'Jakey', and Tom laughed.

After Tom's arrival, everyone in the clan – with the exception of Norm, Max, Mo'at and Dieln – assumed Jake and Neytiri were having more children. Na'vi generally have two to three children, but sometimes the hierarchy stretch this limit a bit. With the bloodlines of Jake and Neytiri, everyone was praying for dozens of little Sullys. Neytiri and Jake were happy with their new life with Tom; he defined their life now, and while parts of them missed lazy afternoons and romantic strolls through the forest, they found new pleasures in life with the soft symphony of his feet padding down the hallway at dawn and finger prints on the walls. Even on the worst days, Jake and Neytiri found something to smile about. Tom served as a constant, in-your-face time piece, marking the way through Jake and Neytiri's lives that might seem an infinite sea of minutes, hours, days and years. Jake and Neytiri both cherised him, knowing by now what every parent figures out – the wondrous days of early parenthood are all but a brief flash in a lifetime.  
Both of them had rolled their eyes when Mo'at clucked at them, "Enjoy him now because he will be an adult before you know it." Even though it was a well worn cliché, Jake and Neytiri started to realise that it was steeped in truth. Tom _was _growing up fast, and each week closed a chapter that could never be revisited. One day Jake and Norm told Tom the classic story of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Tom promptly took it on board that he was the Chosen One. He got his mother to make him a little cape, and then he went racing around the clan with the stick as a wand, yelling, "Expelliarmus!" at the top of his lungs. Max always meant to get it on video tape, but one day Tom realised that he would never get a broomstick, and focused his dreams of flying on ikrans instead. He dropped the wand and that was that. Jake really wanted more children, but he knew as well as Neytiri did that wasn't possible for them, so they treasured the little one they had.

Neytiri awoke with a start one morning. A terrible headache throbbed in her head, and a wave of nausea came over her suddenly. She blinked and massaged her head, trying to will it to go away, but to no avail. Just at that moment, Tom came racing into her and Jake's section and jumped on his parents. "Wake up! Wake up! It is morning time!" He sang joyfully.

Jake groaned. "We have got to teach Tom about Saturdays..." He murmured.

"It is Monday," Neytiri pointed out.

"Whatever," Jake groaned, turning over.

Tom smiled and continued to jump. Neytiri groaned as the headache worsened with each jump. "Oh... No, sweetie, please... Mummy has a headache..." Neytiri told him. Tom looked at his mother and then collapsed onto the bed, snuggling between his parents.

"What wrong with mummy?" He asked his dad, looking at Neytiri.

Jake turned around to look at his mate. Her skin had turned to a very pale blue. "Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

"I do not know..." Neytiri said slowly. Jake frowned and felt her forehead; her temperature seemed fine.

Tom looked at his mother. "Mummy..." He said sadly, his ears drooping a little.

Jake got up and scooped Tom up as well. "Come on, son. Let's let mama rest for a bit," Jake said, taking Tom downstairs so Neytiri could sleep for a little while longer.

**· · ·**

Within half an hour, Neytiri felt just fine. She chalked it up to the fact she was just overly tired. Even though Tom was growing up, he still kept Jake and her on high alert. She went on with her day, even though certain scents made her a little nauseous. The next morning, the same thing happened. She wondered if this was some bug going around. Her questions were answered one morning when she awoke after a vivid dream, almost a vision.

Later that day, Jake was in his and Neytiri's section of Hometree. Since she had been feeling ill, Jake had gone and picked some of her favourite flowers that grew freely in the meadows where wild Pa'li grazed. Jake could never remember the name, but they sort of reminded him of the fabled honeysuckle on earth in the scientific drawings they had in RDA. They carried the sweetest aroma, almost like honey in fact, and another sniff after that would give you a strange urge frolic in the Pa'li fields. Jake wondered if that was the best present to give Neytiri, thinking about how she had been ill, when she came in. "Hey honey!" He said, kissing her gently. "I got these for you since you've been ill these past few days." Neytiri didn't say anything as she stared at the flowers dubiously, as if she were waiting for them to sprout wings and fly off. Jake looked at her oddly. "What? They're your favourite." He sniffed them a little. "You love their scent!" Neytiri continued to stay silent. Jake took in her frozen expression. "What's wrong?"

Neytiri's eyes narrowed at the sight of the flowers. Already from about a foot away she could smell their strong perfume. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "I am pregnant."

Jake almost dropped the flowers. "W-what? With a baby?"

Neytiri brought her eyes up to Jake's with a concerned expression. "How long have you been sniffing those flowers for? Yes, with a baby!"

"But... B-b-but! How? When? T-that's not possible for us!" Jake exclaimed, feeling his voice go about two pitches higher than usual.

"I had a vision from Eywa last night... And no, it is not impossible. Just much, _much _harder," Neytiri said, sitting down.

Jake paused for a moment, trying to get over the shock. "Do you think we should be more excited about this?"

Neytiri nodded slowly. "Yes. Yes, I do," she said. She thought for a moment before getting up and going out of their section. She came back two seconds later and said in a joyful tone, "Hey honey. Guess what?"

Jake looked up. "What?"

Neytiri smiled. "I am pregnant!"

Jake gasped and got up, hugging and kissing Neytiri. "Well done, you clever girl," he said joyfully. "Clever me!" Neytiri laughed and hugged him.


	12. New Daughter

**Hello everyone.**

**Yes, it's been a while! I feel bad, and since this story is coming to a close in a few chapters, I have done something – there will be a sequel, and don't forget, this is a prequel to another story of mine. So, since I wanted to upload these chapters ASAP, they haven't been edited actually. Also, once this story is done, I shall be uploading a chapter from the sequel so you can get a taste of it, and I will upload all the deleted chapters. So, enjoy!**

**Chapter Thirteen | New Daughter**

'_Having a child is surely the most beautifully irrational act that two people in love can commit.' – Bill Cosby_

This pregnancy was different – it was real. Neytiri and Jake were ecstatic, but they decided to keep their news a closely guarded secret until she began to show. Even Dieln wasn't told, but Jake knew that he knew. If that man could figure out a fake pregnancy, Jake had no problems thinking he would be able to figure this out. He had this knowing look in his eye when he watched them, and Jake was silently praying he wouldn't tell anyone. As far as they could tell, Dieln kept mum.

Being pregnant suited Neytiri well; she was a picture of robust health in all ways but one – she spent all day, every day, on the verge of throwing up. But she greeted these setbacks with what could only be described as gleeful acceptance. She knew it meant the little one inside her was doing just fine. On one of these ill mornings, Neytiri awoke with a smile on her face. She had gotten another vision from Eywa. She wrapped her arms around her mate and kissed him softly, which caused Jake to stir. He looked at her smiling face. "What?" He asked with a chuckle.

Neytiri smiled. "You're going to have a little girl."

**· · ·**

A few days later, and Jake and Neytiri were contemplating telling the clan. They still hadn't even told family members, including Mo'at and young Tom, and Neytiri felt bad for keeping them in the dark. Since it was approaching Mo'at's birthday, Neytiri told Jake that they could tell her as her birthday present.

"Oh, come on! She would love to know she is getting a granddaughter," Neytiri told her mate quietly as they were outside of Hometree, setting up for a little get-together for Mo'at. Jake really couldn't remember ever having as many clan parties in the time he was an Avatar, but he didn't complain.

"Yes, that may be so. But I thought we agreed to only tell them when you were starting to show?" Jake reminded her.

Neytiri paused. She had the slightest bump, but it was barely there. "Well, yes but... she is my mother. And yours. Surely we could tell her?"

Jake could see the logic in Neytiri's words, but he was still nervous about it. Word got around in this clan, which is why he was still amazed they had been able to keep Tom secret. "Fine. We can tell her. But only after the party, all right?"

Neytiri smiled. "Okay. I love you," she said as she kissed Jake gently.

A few hours later, Nikti was helping Neytiri with her hair. At least she didn't make Neytiri yelp in pain, as Mo'at so often did when she put Neytiri's hair in braids. "Are you all right, Ney Ney?" Nikti asked her friend. "You seem a little pale."

Neytiri was most definitely pale, since multiple waves of nausea were hitting her as Nikti fussed over her hair. She forced a smile onto her features. "I will be. Just... I am just tired." That was true as well, so she wasn't outright lying.

Nikti patted Neytiri's shoulder in a comforting way. "Well, you best get a lot of sleep tonight then." She finished by placing Neytiri's brown, wood barrette just above her queue. "There. Now, come on!" She said as she took Neytiri by the hand and went downstairs. Jake was already there with Mo'at, with Tom in his arms, and he turned and smiled as Neytiri came down with Nikti. "There you two are. We were getting worried," Jake chuckled, placing an arm around Neytiri and kissing the top of her head.

"Mummy!" Tom exclaimed with a beautiful smile.

Neytiri chuckled and took her son from her husband. "We are here now." Nikti gave her signature laugh and smile, and then excused herself to go and socialise. Neytiri gave her mother an awkward hug, since she was carrying Tom. "Happy Birthday."

Tom hugged his grandma as well. "You old!" He exclaimed, and then gave another beaming smile, as if he was very proud of what he had just stated.

Jake tutted. "That is not nice, Tom," he said sternly, but his eyes were laughing.

Mo'at shrugged Tom's unintentionally rude comment off. "I know I am old," she laughed, taking her grandson. "You need not remind me, though!" Tom smiled and hugged his grandma. "How about you go and play with the other children?" Mo'at asked and placed a big, wet kiss on Tom's forehead before placing him down. Tom nodded and then raced off. "They grow up too fast," Mo'at said as she watched Tom leave.  
Jake nodded in agreement to Mo'at's words. "We know," he smiled. "I'm really going to miss this part of his life."

Neytiri smiled, all the while knowing that soon they would be experiencing it again, with their new daughter. Mo'at looked at Neytiri curiously, as if she were trying to figure something out. Why were they being so coy? At least, that's what it seemed to Mo'at. "Shall we sit down?" Mo'at asked. Jake and Neytiri nodded. Since they were family, they of course got to sit with Mo'at. The moment they did, a Na'vi male came and placed some drinks on their table. Neytiri felt an overwhelming wave of nausea wash over her as she smelt the alcohol. Jake knew why, and he squeezed her hand. "Are you all right?" He asked her quietly.

Neytiri gave a white lie, and nodded. "I am," she said. It truly hit her when Mo'at passed her a drink. Oh Eywa, Neytiri thought as the scent tickled her nostrils.

A member at the table they were at, Neytiri's elder uncle, raised his drink and said, "Let us all have a toast to Mo'at!"

Jake looked at Neytiri and thought fast. She couldn't drink that, and he wasn't about to let her. But how would he go about that without suspicion? "Oh, look! A... _nantang_!" Jake exclaimed, pointing to the forest. It was a rather lame excuse, but Jake didn't always work well under pressure. Thankfully, everyone looked to where Jake had pointed while he grabbed Neytiri's and downed it. Neytiri's eyes widened as Jake did that. It was stronger than any alcohol on Earth, and could knock you into next week. Also, they weren't meant to be drunk as shots. Jake quickly placed Neytiri's cup down just as everyone turned back to look at him oddly. "Sorry. My mistake," Jake said.

The uncle looked at Jake strangely, as if thinking to himself, 'Avatars are strange creatures', before going on with the toast. He then gasped as he saw Neytiri's empty glass. "We must get you another!" Oh, crap, Jake thought as he was still recovering from the dizziness of the last drink. He should have switched the cups. Neytiri was trying to tell her uncle that she just didn't feel like it, but her uncle replied, "Nonsense! Good sir," he said as he turned to one of the Na'vi who had volunteered to help with this. "Could you fetch young Neytiri another drink?"  
Neytiri grimaced slightly and then looked at Jake. "Are you okay?"

Jake nodded. "Fine... Just remind me to never do that again," he chuckled slightly. Neytiri squeezed his hand, and then let go as another drink was served to her. Jake grimaced as well.

The old uncle placed a hand on Mo'at's shoulder. "My sister," he said, "Here is to you. To Mo'at!" Everyone shouted Mo'at's praises, and Neytiri looked absent-mindedly at the cup. She gently took a sip, and, when no one was looking, spat it back. Unfortunately for her, Eywa wanted to play games.

Someone had been watching.

Nikti came over to the table and placed her hand on Neytiri's shoulder. "Hey! Your hair is just... oh, it is driving me mad. Come with me, I will fix it!" She said, practically dragging Neytiri out of her seat. She took her back into Hometree, and turned the corner. She stopped abruptly once out of eyesight, and turned around sharply, causing Neytiri to bump into her. She got right to the chase. "Are you pregnant?"

Neytiri blinked. She gave a laugh. "What? What on Pandora would make you think that?"

"I saw you spit out your drink. Now answer the question."

Neytiri hesitated. "Yes," she said and Nikti gasped. "But you cannot tell anyone! No one knows yet. Only Jake and I do, and now you."

Nikti smiled. "Oh my... This is great!" She exclaimed. "You should tell everyone!"

Neytiri grimaced. "I just... I cannot."

"Why?"

Jake came over then, and Neytiri gave a slight sigh of relief. "What's going on here?" He asked the two women.

Neytiri hesitated. "Nikti knows," she said. Jake paused and looked at her. Nikti shrugged.

Jake sighed. "Well, if you know, you know," he said, smiling at Nikti. "We'd appreciate your discretion."

Nikti nodded and bowed a little before leaving the two alone.

Neytiri placed her hands on Jake's shoulder. "I think we should tell them..."

Jake nodded. "I guess so. But, right now? It's your mother's birthday. I don't think she'd appreciate having the limelight taken away," he chuckled.

Neytiri smiled and patted his hand. "Come on," she said, taking him outside. She went over to her mother and said, "Do you mind if Jake and I have a little announcement?"

Mo'at looked at her daughter and son-in-law. "Of course. What is it?"

Neytiri decided to tell Mo'at before everybody. "Well... Jake and I are expecting."

Just their luck – the area had gone silent then, so basically everyone heard. They all looked at them. Jake nodded slowly. "Well, that saves us a huge announcement," he chuckled.

Tom had come up then. "'Huge announcement'?" He asked. "Of what?"

Jake scooped up his little boy and said, "You are going to have a little sister."

Tom blinked. "Really?" He smiled.

Mo'at gasped and hugged Neytiri. "Oh, I am so happy for you!" Jake and Neytiri heard the meaning behind the words. She was happy that Neytiri was truly pregnant this time. The whole clan was too, as everyone came over to congratulate Jake and Neytiri.

"Do you have a name yet?" Mo'at asked. Neytiri shook her head. "Well, you cannot go past Sylwannin," she smiled. Neytiri smiled. Naming her baby after her late sister; it was cute.  
"Not a bad idea," Jake chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Neytiri.  
Neytiri smiled as everyone came over to them. She gently leaned over and whispered to Jake, "See, I told you telling them would be good."

"Shut up," Jake chuckled, kissing her cheek.


	13. Lanuah Trudy Sully

**Chapter Fourteen | Lanuah Trudy Sully**

'_A son is a son till he takes him a wife; a daughter is a daughter all of her life.' – Irish Saying_

Everyone in the Omaticaya clan was ecstatic over the prospect of a new princess now. All except two people, who in fact didn't entirely belong to the clan.

Norm and Max.

Norm was furious at Jake and Neytiri, and he had enough gall to give them 'The Talk'. "What the hell were you guys thinking? You two are so irresponsible. Ever heard of the 'Rhythm Method'?" Neytiri certainly had. It was the only form of birth control the Omaticaya practised. The beauty of this birth control was that couples simply stopped having sex during those times of the month deemed most fertile. Norm concluded his sermon with, "So, congratulations. You have both created a child who might not be physically and mentally capable, for just a few minutes of pleasure."

Jake exchanged glances with Neytiri. "Norm?" He asked his friend. "Shut up."

Nothing was going to ruin Jake and Neytiri's happiness, except for one thing. Their first act after announcing to everyone of the pregnancy was to have a fight. It began the first thing the next morning, and continued until later that night. Just like with Tom, they could not decide on a name for their little girl. Jake shot down Neytiri's suggestions, and she shot down his.

"_Tyra_?" Jake echoed. "You've got to be kidding."

"Why? It is a beautiful name!" Neytiri argued.

"Yes, well I only knew of one Tyra in my life, and she was a slut. So, no thank you," Jake said.

Neytiri rolled her eyes. "Fine. What about Leslie? Or Rose?"

Jake grimaced noticeably. "Why don't we take your mother's suggestion, and name her Sylwannin?"

Neytiri gave a groan of exasperation as she repeated what had become her refrain throughout these arguments. "Because, as much as I loved my sister, I hated that name," she replied. She thought for a moment. "Okay then. What about Beatrice?"

Jake paused. He contemplated that for a couple of seconds before choosing his next words carefully. "On second thoughts... Tyra might not be so bad."

**· · ·**

As the months progressed, Neytiri's belly swelled as the child grew. Jake was continually complimenting her on how she looked. "You're glowing, you know," he'd smile at her.

Neytiri would laugh at that. "Well, as long as you don't mind the haemorrhoids and the morning sickness, it is quite the party."

Tom was terribly excited over the prospect of having a little sister. He would sit with his mother and place his tiny hands on her belly, feeling his unborn sibling kick, as if she was protesting being in solitary confinement. "We should name her Wiggles, since she moves a lot," he laughed.

Jake chuckled and kissed the top of Tom's head. "That can be her nickname, but she needs a proper name." They still hadn't come up with one. Eight months along, and it was still a battle between Jake and Neytiri. They could have easily suggested over a thousand names. None of them seemed to fit.

Tom hugged his mother. "When can I play with her?"

Neytiri chuckled. "A few months after she is born. Okay?"

Tom's ears drooped slightly, and he gave a melancholy sounding whine. "But that is ages away!"

Neytiri ruffled her son's hair. "You will just have to be patient. Can you do that for me?"

Tom nodded. "All right, mum," he smiled.

In all truth, Tom didn't have to wait long. A couple of days later, Neytiri awoke with painful cramps. She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling this was it. She nudged her husband gently in his side. "Jake... Jake, wake up!"  
Jake groaned and stirred. "What...?" He asked slowly, his voice hoarse from sleeping.

"I think the baby is coming," Neytiri said.

Neytiri had Jake's attention now. "What?" He repeated, sitting upright.

"I am having bad cramps... We need to go and get Dieln," Neytiri said, gasping as the pain pierced her more.

Jake was on his feet in a matter of seconds, and he rushed to go and get Dieln. Dieln and a nurse by the name of Sareia were up in a flash, and Dieln was the picture of perfect ease as he broke Neytiri's water. "It should not take too long," he said. "You will be fine."

Neytiri wasn't so sure of that, but she tried to be positive about it. She took Jake's hand to hold and she groaned and grunted through the pain of labour. Jake wasn't really sure what to do, so he just tried to be supportive by offering her words of comfort, and saying things like, "You're doing great. Just keep going." At one point, Neytiri got so frustrated by her husband that she yelled at him, "So help me Eywa... if you tell me that I am doing great one more time I am going to RIP YOUR THROAT OUT!" Jake must have looked terribly wounded, for Sareia came over and squeezed his shoulders sympathetically, saying, "All part of the experience."

Unfortunately for Neytiri, she had to tough this out the old fashioned way. The Na'vi had no such thing as epidurals, and while they had their own form of pain killers, it didn't deliver pain-blocking oblivion to the central nervous system, so it wasn't that effective. Neytiri recalled how she had wished she could take the pain away from Kiyeri as she watched her struggle to birth Tom. Now she wished someone could do that for her.

As the moon disappeared and the sun came up, Jake came out to the lounge where Mo'at, Norm and Max had been waiting, and Tom had been too. Mo'at had been planning on keeping an eye on him while Neytiri was in labour, but Tom insisted on staying up with Norm, Max and her. Now, tiredness had prevented him from doing so, and he had curled up and fallen asleep on his Uncle Norm's lap. They all gasped as Jake came out. Jake beckoned them over with his finger and they came into his and Neytiri's section, where they found Neytiri holding a little bundle of cloth.  
Tom stirred as he found himself being picked up and transported elsewhere. "What happened...?" he asked with a small yawn. "Is the baby here...?"

Jake smiled at his little boy and came over to sit beside Neytiri. Neytiri smiled at him and then looked back at the little bundle in her arms. "Everyone, there is someone we want you to meet..." Jake said, gently pulling back some of the cloth so everyone could see the newest addition to the clan better.  
Tom smiled and pulled away from Norm a little, trying to look. He smiled more as he looked down at the swaddle of cloth, and saw large topaz eyes staring back at him. "She is so... tiny," he said. He looked at his father. "Was I that tiny?"

Neytiri answered for him. "Yes, once. Maybe just a little bigger," she replied.

Mo'at felt her heart swell as she looked at her granddaughter. "So, have you chosen a name yet?" Everyone looked up at Jake and Neytiri when that was asked.

Jake looked at his wife. "Go ahead," he smiled.

Neytiri nodded. "Well... we have decided on 'Lanuah Trudy Sully'." Norm gave a smile. He was so touched they were naming her after his old girlfriend, and Jake's old friend.

Tom smiled as he heard his mother announce the name of his sibling. He paused then. "I like Wiggles more."


	14. Matters Of the Heart

**All right, I'm back to writing this now that I'm stumped on my other fiction, Stay The Night. There's irony for you – I started that one to get my mind off Bumps In The Road! Oh well.**

**Chapter Fifteen | Matters Of the Heart**

'_There is a great difference between worry and concern. A worried person sees a problem, and a concerned person solves a problem.' – Harold Stephens_

A few days later, when Neytiri was able to come and introduce the newest addition to the Sully clan, she organised a special one for her girlfriends. She felt just some quiet time with them to meet her pride and joy would be fun.

Unfortunately, with the ruckus Lanuah caused, she seemed intent on foiling her mother's plans.

Nikti smiled at the little one in Neytiri's arms as she bawled, and tried to think of something complimentary to say to Neytiri and Jake, who was standing beside his wife. "Well... she is just a little piece of heaven!" She said, semi-lying through her canine-like teeth.

The newest addition to the group of friends, Teriana, had to agree. "You are so blessed!"

"Makes me want to have another myself," Nikti's sister, Peyral, who already had three children, agreed. She was in fact the one who Neytiri suggested Jake take as a mate. That seemed like an eternity ago, and Peyral never knew, which Neytiri was glad about. That strange awkwardness between them, which Peyral never picked up on, was blessedly gone, and now Neytiri had to feel just a little smug about it.

But, that said smugness was gone as well, and Neytiri was just so thankful for having such a wonderful family. She now chuckled at her friends pathetic attempts at lying. Who could blame them? Neytiri had to be the most expert female at lying in the clan, since she'd had about a year of practice, and in a way, it was still going on. She looked up at her husband, who was standing by her side, and said over the noise of Lanuah, "I think you better take Lanuah into another room before my friends run out of lies!"

Jake chuckled and took his little girl out of Neytiri's arms. "Aww, they just don't appreciate a healthy set of lungs, do they?" He asked Lanuah, who of course just kept on crying.

Once Jake was gone with the tantrum thrower, Nikti turned to young Tom, who had a piece of cloth wrapped around his head. "So, how do you like your new sister?" She asked.

Tom, seeing as someone was talking to him, took off the wrap. "Sorry?" He asked, not having heard a word of what his aunt said.

Nikti chuckled. "You will get used to her."

Tom frowned. "I thought I was. Then she would not shut up," he growled slightly. Nikti laughed and hugged her nephew, kissing the top of his head.

Even though Tom complained, he adored Lanuah. When he was three, and started lessons from the tutors, he would rush back to his parent's section the moment it was over to play with her, and try to pass on his knowledge that he had gained that day. Whenever Lanuah was sick, which was often, he looked after her, and in turn often caught whatever she had. When Lanuah grew, and she started to crawl and explore the world around her, she would use Tom as a climbing frame. He would just lie on his stomach as she clambered all over him, tugging at his ears and pulling his hair. It didn't faze Tom. He would just cuddle her and tell her, "You're the best little sister in the world!" Lanuah would smile and hug him in return.

The whole clan found it adorable that Lanuah and Tom got along so well, but Neytiri was just a little worried. While she was so thankful that they were the best of friends, she realised that Tom never spent any time with the children closer to his age. Even when Nikti's daughter, Reiqa, came to play, he would always force her to play with Lanuah as well. Neytiri was glad that Tom stuck up for his little sister, but she also wanted him to spend time with Reiqa and the other children. "But they're mean!" Tom would complain. "They never let Lanuah play."

"Well, maybe they just want to play with you for a bit. Lanuah can join you later on," Neytiri kindly suggested. Lanuah wasn't too fussed when she was separated from Tom, but Tom didn't like spending a minute away from her. Jake would joke and say, "You would think those two were joined at the hip."

But there was another reason Neytiri was worried. If those two stayed together all the time, and didn't let anyone else in, how would they accept another sibling?

**· · ·**

Some things in life are just too bizarre to be true, so when Neytiri and Jake told Norm they were expecting again, just barely over a year that Lanuah had been born, he had been sure he had misheard. "I'm sorry, you're what?" Norm asked, blinking spastically. As he looked at his two best friends, he found out the meaning of when people describe the swarm of locusts right before they faint. How embarrassing would that be? Norm quickly sat down in the chair in the lounge, and tried to wrap his head around this new information. He pointed at Neytiri. "You're pregnant? Again?"

Neytiri smiled at her friend. "Yes." She then took in Norm's spastic expression. His eyes were somewhat turned away from her, and he seemed to be looking out into space. "Norm?"

Norm put his finger up to silence her. "Just... give me a moment. I am asking Eywa to kill me so I don't kill you..."

Jake sighed. "Norm, Lanuah was perfectly fine. There's nothing wrong with her. Why are you being so negative about this whole thing?" Jake often wondered who carried more concern for Lanuah – Norm, or her actual parents.

"It's not intentional; I just worry about you guys, that's all." Norm paused then. He had brought this other argument up before, and Jake and Neytiri had gotten rather nasty about it, so he had locked it away and thrown away the key, never to bring it up again. But now, he thought it was necessary to bring it out and review it. "Think about Tom. What's going to happen when he finds out he's the only Sully child... who isn't one?"

Neytiri paused and leaned back in the chair which she was sitting in. She exchanged a glance with Jake. This was something that had been haunting them for a long time. When Tom was old enough to understand, they could tell him, but how would he react? The main problem however, was if they told him, he would no longer be eligible for the throne – his parents did not want to take that away from him. They didn't want him to work his whole life for a dream he would never reach. But Norm had a point – everyone deserved to know where they came from.

Jake exhaled, and then said, as an order more than anything, "He just cannot know."


	15. Kyoki Grace Sully

**Okay, I have finally updated this thing! I gotta say, I love this story, and I love the series that will come from it, but this story is honestly right now, the bane of my life. I know I promised I would change the chapter 'Family Bed', or at least I promised that to one person, but instead I just deleted it. I am lazy, I know… I did write about three possible chapters for it, but they didn't seem to fit.**

**So, I am just moving on. All those chapters which have been deleted and such of course shall be posted at the end, and the end shall be coming in about two chapters, so we're almost there guys – get excited! And then it's the sequel, 'Heartbeat', and the story that started this whole thing – 'Accidentally On Purpose'. Of course, that story has changed drastically since the second rewrite, but the character's names are still the same – their personalities are the ones that have changed. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**

**Chapter Fifteen | Kyoki Grace Sully**

"_Our daughter is the knot that ties the family together." - Unknown_

With Neytiri's stomach once again swelling, Jake was up at all hours of the night thanks to her craving, helping her, and helping little Lanuah. Since Lanuah was still not quite sleeping through the night, with wanting to be fed and everything else, Jake was dead tired by the next morning. Still, he didn't complain – much. However, he couldn't wait for this baby to be born. They hadn't said it out loud, but both Jake and Neytiri knew that this would be the last child they would have. Whilst being a parent was a joy in itself, it was also totally overwhelming. Besides, they had an heir for a clan, and two back up plans, once the two girls married. Neytiri already knew it was a girl, and thanks to that, she already started on choosing names.

"Okay, what about Tellua'ka?" Neytiri questioned as she sewed a blanket for the newest upcoming child. Mo'at was sitting beside her, sewing some clothes for Lanuah to help her daughter and son-in-law out.

Jake thought about that. He said it to himself out loud, mimicking his mate. "Mmm, bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"

Neytiri looked up to the sky as if the name would be there, and then said, "Marali, then?"

Jake was about to half-agree to that one, and let her put it on the 'Possible' list, when Norm came in carrying a bundle of papers. He was panting a bit from the weight, since the stack was quite large, so Jake got up to assist him. "Want some help?" he asked, offering to take some off Norm.

Norm looked at him sarcastically. "Well… since you refused to come to RDA… I had to print these off… and then I had to get through the forest, pass a mothering _palulukan_, nearly got trampled by a _pa'li _herd, and dodged a stray _angtsìk_, but no… these last few steps are where it gets really tricky."

Jake shook his head and took the papers. "You know, sometimes your words? They hurt," he told Norm, coming to place the papers on the table.

Neytiri leant forward, placing her hand on her belly, as she looked over the papers. "Norm, what is this?"

"It's thirty lists of baby names from around the world," he smiled proudly. "Our world, that is," he clarified.

Neytiri picked up the list and read some of the names off. "Anna, Bella, Catherine…"

Mo'at looked at the list herself, but unlike Neytiri, she couldn't read it – she could only speak English. She knew that these weren't names she'd ever come across before as Neytiri read some of them out. "You should follow the naming pattern you were doing – she should have a Na'vi first name, and a human second name?"

Jake exchanged glances with his mate. "I never even thought we were making a pattern, to be honest, but that does sound quite nice."

Neytiri had to agree. "But, what Na'vi name, then? We are all sorted out with human names, clearly."

Norm, aggravated that all his hard work was about to go to waste, quickly came to his lists' defense. "Well, what if you got a human name, and modified it for a Na'vi name? Like, um… Oh, Jane could be 'Jan'eka'.

Jake arched an eyebrow, but Neytiri leaned forward, interested. " 'Jan'eka'… I quite like that," she smiled. Mo'at nodded her own approval. "Got any other ideas?"

Norm thought. "I think African and Japanese names would be better for this sort of thing… Um, 'Asouka' could be 'Asok'ata'?

"Uh… Veto on that one," Jake told him gently. "I guess it could work; all we need is the right name." Mo'at took the list, and as if being directed by Eywa herself, she closed her eyes and placed her finger on a name. Neytiri lifted her mother's finger to see the name, 'Kyoko' staring at her. Jake took the list and read the meaning for it. "Kyoko, pronounced 'Kee-OH-koh', is of Japanese origin and means 'mirror'."

"Aww, that's really sweet," Mo'at smiled.

"I dunno if I like the pronunciation too much… But I do like the idea," Norm said. He thought for a moment, trying to see how he could warp such a name into something sounding vaguely like it was from the Na'vi language. "Kyoko… Um, Kee-okah? Kai-oki? No, that was bad… Disregard that!"

But Neytiri didn't. She kept the last name in her mind, thinking. "Kai-oki… I like that. How could we spell that one?"

"K-y-o-k-… i?" Jake suggested, just following the original pattern for Kyoko. "Little Kyo… Huh, that is quite cute."

"Well I think it's winning," Mo'at smiled.

Jake looked at his mother-in-law. "You've never used that phrase before, have you?" he asked with a smile.

"Not once in my life."

Neytiri smiled at the two of them and then thought. "So what shall her middle name be?" she asked, Jake in particular.

The leader cast his eyes outside, lost in thought. Slowly, a smile came to his face. The other members in the room looked at him, dying with curiosity as to what had come to his mind. He just smiled. "I think I have an idea."

**· · ·**

Shortly after Lanuah turned two, she received a late birthday present. It wasn't one she had truly asked for, let alone wanted. Of course, she only didn't want a little sibling because she copied everything Tom did. Whatever he wanted, she wanted, and since Tom didn't want another sister, she didn't, either. Tom hadn't entirely hopped on board with the whole mum-and-dad-are-having-a-new-baby thing. He had just hoped that if he pretended it didn't exist, it would cease to exist. Sure he had accepted Lanuah, but that was before he realised what the package deal with her was. He had already had to give up some of his parent's attention to Lanuah, and now it had to be divided among three? If he could think in such a way, he would think that Eywa was intentionally screwing him.

Sadly for Tom, this problem wasn't going to magically disappear, as one night – with a lot of déjà vu – Mo'at came to gently shake Tom. Tom groaned and rolled over in his bed. "It's Saturday, grandma… It's not even light out… Lemme sleep."

Lanuah opened her eyes from the hammock she slept in across from her elder brother's. She gave a yawn and rubbed her tired eyes with her tiny hands. "Grandma, what's going on…?" she asked sleepily.

Mo'at smiled and came to press a soft kiss to her granddaughter's forehead. "You have a new little sister. Do you want to come and meet her?" Tom replied with a hasty, 'No!', but Lanuah replied with a 'Yes!'. Tom scowled at her, and her ears went down slightly; Tom's little foot soldier.

Grandma Mo'at got them both up, knowing Tom did actually want to see her – he was just having a bit of trouble adjusting. Once they had wiped the sleep from their eyes, and in Tom's case, the frown, Mo'at took them in to the medical centre, where Jake was holding a little bundle, perched on the side of Neytiri's bed. Lanuah pranced over to them, coming to inspect the little baby. She gave a smile, and her tail flicked slightly like a puppy's. Tom didn't wish to partake in such a ritual, but reluctantly went when Mo'at gave him a little shove. He came over with his grandma to his parents to see a swaddled baby in his da's arms. A small, five-fingered hand reached out to Tom, and found his four-fingered hand. A small flicker of a smile passed across Tom's face. Mo'at smiled as well as she saw her youngest granddaughter, and she softly brushed her chubby, tiny cheek with her finger. She looked at her daughter then. "How are you feeling?"  
Neytiri was honest, and replied, "Tired." Jake gave a small chuckle and kissed her cheek gently.

"Whatcha gonna call her?" Lanuah asked, keeping her eyes on her baby sister.

Neytiri and Jake looked at each other. Since Neytiri had announced Lanuah's name, Jake had taken on the challenge of announcing this one. Jake had decided on her middle name, and hadn't told Neytiri until after the minute his youngest child was born. Thankfully, Neytiri had eagerly agreed to it, so they didn't have to choose another to announce. "Her name is Kyoki Grace Sully."


	16. You Can't Take Him

**Chapter Sixteen | You Can't Take Him**

'_My baby was my gift to the world to show everyone strength in innocence and purity, and one day I pray my baby will come home to me to tell me of his journey that I can take with him.' – Sarah Sowell_

"Aw, c'mon Kyoki, you can do it."

"I know I can – I don't want to."

"Gee, Kyoki, I swear – you're becoming more like a girl every day."

"I _am_ a girl, idjit…"

"Oh, hush – else I will cut your hair in the night!"

Jake gave a groan as Tom, Lanuah and Kyoki had a battle of wills. It happened practically everyday. In fact, Jake felt his daily refrain was, "Stop being mean to Kyoki!" In what Neytiri and Jake had hoped would be the perfect little family, like the ones you witnessed in books and movies, it turned out life wasn't quite that way. Tom and Lanuah, for reasons that Jake and Neytiri just couldn't see, couldn't stand Kyoki. And for that matter, they could barely stand one another. What had happened to their friendship as children? It had disappeared, it seemed. When they weren't battling with one another, Tom and Lanuah snapped at Kyoki, but the ever accommodating one, Kyoki allowed them to. She still adored them, but both her parents knew that their little baby girl hated their torments.

Tom snarled at Kyoki. "So you may be a girl, but that don't mean you have to act like one."

Kyoki flicked her shoulder length hair back and looked pointedly at Lanuah. "Tell that to her, not me."

"Don't sass me, Kyoki," Lanuah growled at her.

"Do you even know what that means?"  
" 'Course I do – I know everything."

Jake really couldn't take it anymore. "Guys, if you must fight – which you shouldn't be – take it outside. I mean it."

Tom sighed and shot daggers at his youngest sibling. "See what you did now?" he growled as he walked outside. Lanuah flicked her tail like a whip against Kyoki's face, making it sting. Kyoki fought back the tears in her eyes and just followed them anyway. Jake had to talk to the elder ones about that.

As their brother led them downstairs, Lanuah really couldn't be bothered walking with Kyoki. "Why don't you go and bug Reiqa or Yol Kxetse, huh?" she suggested, in a tone that told Kyoki not to disagree. Kyoki left without a word.

Tom watched as Kyoki went off. He sighed. "Is it wrong she annoys me so?" he asked as he walked off.

"Mmm, I don't think so," came a voice. Tom's ears flickered at the unfamiliar sound, and he turned to see a young woman, not of clan, coming towards him and Lanuah.

Tom's tail flicked, and Lanuah went behind his back; he was her protection against this unknown Na'vi. "This is the Omaticaya clan – you can't just walk in," Tom growled at the intruder. Lanuah bared her tiny half-adult, half-milk teeth to the woman. But as she looked into her eyes, they seemed very familiar… It was as if she had come across them before, even though she had never laid her own eyes on this person.

The eyes that held the familiarity blinked, and a small smile spread across the woman's face. "Oh, I think they'll allow me in," she told the young children.

"Why? Who are you?"

"My name is Kiyeri."

**· · ·**

"I must commend you two on raising Tom," Kiyeri said to her cousin and her mate. "He seems to have turned out quite all right."

Both Jake and Neytiri were terribly uncomfortable as they had this meeting with Kiyeri. Jake and Neytiri occupied the seat across from the table in the centre of the room, with Kiyeri on the other opposite them. It was the first time they had seen her in ten years. Though they had offered for her to come and see Tom once in a while, she never took them up on the offer. So, for her to turn up now was a bit of a shock to the system. She looked more mature, older now; she would be twenty-six, and Neytiri was twenty-eight. Jake couldn't help but feel old, but more pressing emotions and questions were arising. "Why are you here?" Jake asked the woman in front of him. She was no longer a girl.

Kiyeri slowly turned her head to his, her topaz eyes meeting his own. "You know, I never told anyone about what happened. Everyone assumed I miscarried after I fell off the horse."

Neytiri nodded. "Well, we appreciate you telling that story."

Kiyeri sat up straight. She looked confident, so much more so than she was when she had been here the last time. But there was also a dark look in her eyes, which Neytiri didn't like. "As you can see, I've cleaned myself up. I'm a better person now."

"Yes, you look lovely," Neytiri agreed with a nod, forcing a small smile on her face.

Kiyeri now focused her gaze on her cousin. "I'm in a better place, now."

Slowly, the realisation of the reason for Kiyeri's visit dawned upon both Jake and Neytiri at the same time. Neytiri breathed out slowly, and regarded Kiyeri seriously. She shook her head. "You cannot have him…"

"I didn't tell anyone Tom's true heritage – I can easily do that now," she told them with a razor edge to her voice.

Jake's brow knitted together, and he bit back a snarl. "You do and the Omaticaya won't have an heir. Not to mention Tom would be traumatised – have you ever thought about that?"

Kiyeri gave a smirk, which made Jake clench his fingers, causing his nails to dig into his skin as he tried to fight the rising anger. "Clearly you didn't, either," she told him, "if 'Tom being the future leader' was the first thing that came to your mind. Besides, you two kind of… spoke too soon, didn't you? Aren't those two girls yours? Kyoki is a spitting image of you, Neytiri, and has Jake's eyes." Kiyeri's face turned very cold, her jaw tightening. "Give me my kid."

Neytiri shook her head. "Over my dead body… Tom is _our _son."

"I want my damn child!" Neytiri just shook her head at Kiyeri.

A low growl sounded from Kiyeri and she stood up abruptly, and Neytiri quickly followed her movement. She quickly moved, finding it easier to reach the door without the obstacle of the table. She blocked the door from Kiyeri. "If you think I am giving my baby to you, you're crazy!"

"He's not your baby!" Kiyeri almost yelled.

"All right, tone it down," Jake said, standing up to his wife's defense. He hoped none of the children heard that, or any of the clan for that matter. Kiyeri tried to push past him, but Jake grabbed her by her arms and yanked her back before she disappeared down the corridor.

Neytiri's ears went back as Kiyeri tried to fight against her mate. "We raised Tom! We are his parents!" she cried desperately to Kiyeri and Jake.

Kiyeri turned on her cousin, baring her feline-like teeth to her. "You were always so high and mighty, wanting nothing but the best for yourself. And that's why you took Tom – you just needed an heir! If you didn't, you wouldn't have taken him!" And, with the icing on the cake, "You self righteous bitch…" Neytiri's face just crumpled at that insult.

Jake snarled and, in a moment where he didn't know if was truly himself, his hands enclosed on Kiyeri's shoulders, and he pushed her against the wall. Kiyeri yelped as Jake flung her against the wall, but it wasn't as hard as he felt it should have been. "I have never hurt a woman in my life but your ass is pushing it," he warned her. He was pleased to see her swallow in fear. "Now… You listen closely. You are going to leave this clan. And you are never to return. If I even hear of you coming within a five hundred metre radius… I will have no problem ordering my warriors after you. Consider yourself banished from coming here."

After his threat had been delivered, Jake let Kiyeri go. Kiyeri was somewhat intimidated by Jake's advance – who wouldn't be? He looked formidable. His eyes pierced hers, and he bared his teeth slightly. Even Neytiri had to shudder a little. Kiyeri stiffened up, going to walk past Jake. The pain in her eyes was clear as she left though. Neytiri and Jake followed her to the steps, and watched as she went to get her ikran to fly off. Neytiri turned to her mate then. "I have… never seen you so forceful."

Jake brought his eyes, now soft, to his mate. "No one is ever taking our son," he told her, in a tone that said it was never to be negotiated, before pressing a kiss to her forehead before leaving to go back to their area.


	17. Our Little Family

**Chapter Seventeen | Our Little Family**

'_It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.' – Johann Schiller_

The _Tsahík _of the Omaticaya clan sat on a log on the outskirts of Hometree in the evening, watching the world go by. Her ears flickered as she heard the sound of children playing, and she turned to see her children doing various activities around the river. Kyoki was undergoing a tickle attack from her friend Yol Kxetse, and Tom with his friend, Ta'em, playing with a ball made out of a material similar to rattan. Lanuah sat on the outskirts with Reiqa, both of them engaged in some conversation which Neytiri couldn't hear.

Neytiri got a bit of a start as she felt strong arms wrap around her, and then felt lips press a loving kiss to her temple. "I see you," Jake said to her.

Neytiri turned to look at him and gave a smile. "Hey yourself," she chuckled, and Jake gave a laugh too as she didn't greet him how she usually did. He followed her gaze to see their two daughters and son playing with their friends. He felt a sense of wholeness as he watched them, the likes of which he hadn't truly felt in a long time. Sure, they weren't perfect, but Jake wouldn't want any other children to be his.

Neytiri looked down at the floor for a moment, and, snapping Jake out of his thoughts, asked, "Do you think Kiyeri will ever try to come back?"  
Jake scoffed. "Hats off to her if she tries. I think I managed to scare her off." His topaz eyes focused on Tom, watching him aim his bow, and then firing a pretty perfect shot.

"You think he'll ever figure it out?" was Neytiri's next question. Tom, unlike Kyoki and Lanuah, carried no Avatar traits. He hadn't truly questioned it, but his sisters had traits such as five fingers, a lower queue, and a more human-like nose.

Jake shook his head. "Well, if he does… Hey, that's what death beds are for." Neytiri frowned at her mate and went back to watching her children. Jake ruffled her hair gently. "It'll be fine."

Neytiri hoped he was right. They would cross that bridge when it came, she supposed. Before she knew what was happening, Jake brought her head back and forcefully kissed her. Neytiri squeaked in alarm, and broke it off. "Jake - ! Cut it out!" she laughed softly, since they were in public. They weren't exactly young, and they couldn't really get away with such behaviour any longer.

Jake smiled and winked at her. He was about to add something when the group of children broke off, and Tom, Lanuah and Kyoki came up to their parents. "Hey da, ma, can we go have dinner now?" Kyoki asked, her tail wagging like a little puppy.

Neytiri looked at the time. It was starting to get dark. "Well, I suppose so," she said, getting up. "Come on, children." The children gave a whoop and ran ahead of their parents to go and secure their seats, even though they sat in the same spot at dinnertime every day of every year. Both Jake and Neytiri laughed as they watched them go.

Jake looked at his mate, and held out his five-fingered hand for her. "Shall we?" he asked.

Neytiri looked at the hand offered to her, and smiled, placing her dainty, four-fingered hand in his. "Yes," she said, tugging him after the children.

The End

**So that's it, guys! It's actually over… Wow. I can't really believe that… I think I need to pinch myself! I do hope you guys enjoyed that! Reviews and such are always appreciated!  
**

**I can't actually believe this is done… This is the longest story I have ever completed, and the first fan fiction I have ever truly completed, at least alone. I'm going to miss this crew, but hey, they'll be along again shortly – I'll be posting the first chapter of Heartbeat soon, maybe this weekend, so you can see what Jake, Neytiri and their children get up to in the later years. I must warn you though – it starts with quite a bit of a twist, so just prepare yourself for that. Here's a hint – **_**afyo **__**hapxì. **_

**Now, if you figure it out, don't tell everyone, at least not in the reviews! If someone does figure it out, you can say you did, and those who are absolutely dying can PM you, okay? Just in case some people don'****t want spoilers, you understand.**

**Now, of course, I must thank some people for their help throughout this journey with me. So, where to begin…**

**My beta reader, AnnanInTheSky. Yes, I know you're not my beta anymore, and I wish you still were. You really helped me with this story, more than you can imagine. You helped me develop plot lines, encouraged me when I was stuck, and when I abandoned this story for a while, you got me right back on track! I am so grateful, so I thank you girl!**

**My wonderful Leo W. Ryan. It seems just like yesterday you and I created Kyoki and Yol, and now the first step of their journey is done. I am so thankful you helped me through this, with role playing possible scenarios with me – not necessarily with this story, but with Heartbeat and Accidentally on Purpose – and forcing me to finish this! I love you.**

**My best friend, gabbagirl10. You know, I know you never liked Avatar… at least not how much Leo and I do (same goes for Annan, actually… I dunno how I roped her into being my beta). But you actually did help me with this. Your eagerness for it actually pushed me to write it more, so thank you wifey!**

**My other best friend, Jeff. Yeah, I'm putting the spotlight on you! You helped me too, you know! You forced me to finish it as well, and I am thankful for that – it got somewhere, didn't it? Thank you!**

**My dedicated reader and good friend, tm20. You also helped me to finish this. When you told me, 'It's been so long, I can't even remember what Jake and Neytiri did last!', it told me that I better take my finger out and continue this, so thank you!**

**So, I shall now start to compile all the deleted scenes and moments, so don't disregard this story just yet. Watch this space!**


	18. DELETED CHAPTER: Careful Where You Tread

**Deleted Chapter**

**(I know this starts out the same – just keep reading)**

**Chapter Four | Careful Where You Tread**

'_The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted.' – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg_

Faking a pregnancy was like murdering someone and having their blood stained all over you. No matter how hard you scrubbed, you'd never get rid of the guilt or the blood in your clothes. Jake was feeling like that right now. He told his mate he was warming to the idea, but in all truth, he was not. He always had the horrible feeling that something was going to go wrong, somehow someone was going to find out all about it, and they would be utterly humiliated.

And he was about to find out just how dangerous this lie could get.

"I just do not want a baby shower," Neytiri told her friend, Nikti (the other pregnant one) as they came into the royal's lounge. Jake was already sitting there, and he eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Please?" Nikti begged. "I had one. They are fun!"

"I just think they are..." Neytiri searched for a word to put.

"Tacky?" Jake offered, looking at his mate.

Neytiri looked at her mate and nodded slowly. "Yes, what he said," she said to Nikti. Nikti rolled her topaz eyes.

"Please! Fine, it will not be a baby shower. What about just a fun get-together?" Nikti begged.

Neytiri sighed and looked at her friend with a shrewd look in her eyes. She just knew Nikti wouldn't let this go. "Fine."

Nikti beamed and hugged her friend. "Alright! I am going to go plan. See you two later." After Nikti disappeared, Neytiri and Jake retired to their room. "Can you help me?" Neytiri asked. Jake nodded and lifted up her dress, undoing the clasp gently and letting Neytiri pull out the bundle of fabric that made her look like she was pregnant. Thank God we're in a room to ourselves, Jake thought. If someone saw them doing that, well, he didn't want to think about it. Neytiri stretched a little. "The great thing about this pregnancy is that my back does not ache and my feet do not swell."

Jake chuckled and kissed her softly. "Yes, and you won't have to go through the pain of labour." Neytiri smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him a little harder. Jake leant down to kiss her neck when she moved away. "Come on, we best get to bed. Any 'get-together' Nikti always throws is very longwinded and very boring, and we need to make sure we do not fall asleep." Oh, Neytiri, how wrong you are about this particular one.

**· · ·**

Nikti, being an established get-together-planner, had it up and ready by the next day. It was hosted just outside of Hometree, in the clearing, and every member of the clan was there in the evening. The chirp of night dwellers in the forest and the beauty of the bioluminescent lights cast a beautiful glow on everyone, and especially Neytiri. Jake found himself smiling with pride as he watched her, knowing she was his and how much he loved her. And with that glow of the forest, Neytiri looked like she was really pregnant, and she looked absolutely radiant.

Just as Neytiri had predicted, it was very longwinded to start off with. Everyone wished Neytiri and Jake the best of luck, and some of Neytiri's close friends and family made speeches. Yes, this was very longwinded, and it got even worse when Mo'at gave a speech and mentioned the traumas of Neytiri's breech birth, and Neytiri just went pale. Jake leaned over to her and said softly in her ear, "You never told me about that."

"I think you can see why," Neytiri pointed out, taking her hand off her belly to massage her temples gently. "Imagine hearing it for the first time on your sixteenth birthday."

After the speeches that made everyone drowsy, save for the one by Mo'at who made audience members queasy, the adults got to talking. Everyone came to try and rub Neytiri's belly, which made her uneasy, scared that they would shift some fabric, but she smiled along. The children, deciding they were bored, went to go practise with bows and arrows. One little boy, by the name of Palin, came and shook Jake's hand to get his attention. "Will you come watch us?" He asked with a smile. All the children loved attention from Jake, as he was always playing with them. Neytiri loved it when he did that. He was one of the only leaders who ever took real attention in the members.

Jake smiled and ruffled his hair. "Aw, sorry little buddy. I have to stay here with the adults. But I can see you from here," Jake added when Palin's ears went down. Palin smiled again and then raced off. The moment he did, Jake's smile faded. Neytiri came over to him and squeezed his hand. "I don't trust his parents," he said softly to his mate.

"Who, the Serlans?" Neytiri asked. "Why?"

"I don't know... I just feel they're up to something," Jake told his mate. Jake had every right to be concerned. Every family had their secrets, and though in the Omaticaya you couldn't hide anything, the Serlans had a great poker face.

Neytiri frowned for a moment; she didn't like gossip or snitching on their friends, but she had to agree with her husband. She shook her head and took his elbow. "Come on," she said, steering him back to their friends. "And keep me by your side."  
"Not that I'm complaining, but why?"

"Everyone wants to rub my belly. It is annoying and worrying. Soon, they might figure out that I am carrying a baby that does not kick," Neytiri said through gritted teeth.

Jake chuckled and led her over to where they were serving the food. "And I thought I was the one on edge," Jake smiled as he walked with her. One of the children, a young girl, left her arrows by the food, leaning against a log at a ninety degree angle.  
Neytiri rolled her eyes and elbowed him. "Shut up," she murmured, turning around to flick him with her tail in a scolding way. As she did so, she didn't notice the pile of arrows, nor notice when one stabbed her in the stomach.

An elderly Na'vi by the name of Beyral was walking past, and she nearly had a heart attack. "Neytiri!" She screamed, to which Jake and Neytiri whirled around. "Oh, help! Dieln!"  
Jake and Neytiri exchanged bewildered glances. Jake covered his mouth when he looked at his mate's stomach. He gingerly pointed to the arrow protruding out of the fabric. "Oh crap," Neytiri gasped. Jake was too busy fretting to realise that he mate had just cussed for what had to be the first time ever. Besides, he was trying to think of a plausible lie to get out of this.

He quickly turned around to Beyral. "No need! I'm sure she's fine," he smiled, and Neytiri smiled back.

Beyral had pretty much gotten a lot of attention now, and Jake had half a mind to stab himself so they wouldn't be focused on Neytiri. That wouldn't work though, considering he wasn't the one carrying the heir. "DIELN!" Beyral screamed, to which the young healer, about five years younger than Jake, came running over. "Neytiri got stabbed in the belly!"  
Dieln's eyes practically popped out of his skull, and he rushed over to Neytiri. "Eywa, are you okay?" He exclaimed, placing his hands on her stomach. She quickly backed away.

"I am fine," she insisted.

Jake was wracking his brains. "Of course she's fine! It's... a trick arrow!" He said, pulling it out of Neytiri's stomach and then pushing it back in.

Neytiri quickly caught on. "Yes! It is a little game we played to freak you all out!"  
Dieln's brow furrowed in thought. "That's... quite a trick," he said slowly, his eyes scanning theirs.

Neytiri smiled, but she saw that look in Dieln's eyes. He was calculating, and Neytiri grew worried. Jake quickly came to her rescue. "Let's go freak out your mother!" He smiled, dragging her away. He dragged her fully away from the party and everyone's view, into the forest. Everyone had taken the lie to heart, and had gotten involved with their own thing, so no one gave them a second glance – everyone except Dieln, whose eyes followed them into the forest. "My God, that was just too close..." Jake breathed.

Neytiri sighed and leaned against a tree. "I know."

After Jake got his heart rate down, he looked at his mate. "'Oh crap'?" He asked with a bemused smile. "First time I've heard you swear, ever."

Neytiri gave a small laugh. "If stuff like this keeps happening... you will be hearing a lot more."

**Several reasons why I didn't put this in. This was way too much like Desperate Housewives in season four, – in fact, exactly like it – where Bree herself was faking a pregnancy, and at a barbecue got stabbed in her 'stomach' with one of those large forks with two prongs.**

**Also, I can't remember what my beta said about it; just didn't seem quite realistic. I'm not quite sure how sharp an arrow is – I'm assuming quite sharp, or blunt with a lot of force – so following that logic, Neytiri wouldn't have bent down too much for it to stab her. So that was why I didn't put t**

**his one in!**


	19. DELETED CHAPTER: Tradition

**Chapter Twelve | Tradition**

'_You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.' – Franklin P. Jones_

A few days later, Jake and Neytiri were having dinner with Nikti and Reran. Neytiri had suggested they have their friends over for a private dinner since Nikti and Reran hadn't truly met Tom. She also said that they needed to have a special bond with Tom, since they were his 'aunt and uncle'.

"So," Nikti began as they sat in the royal's lounge before dinner. "How does Kiyeri like Tom?" Neytiri stiffened at the mention of her cousin's name. Did Nikti know? "Well... she was here when he was born," Nikti added after Neytiri didn't reply.

Neytiri exchanged a quick glance with her mate. "Oh, she just adores him," Neytiri smiled.

"Loves him to pieces," Jake added with a smile, looking at Neytiri. He quickly looked back to Nikti and Reran, trying to keep a straight face. And here he was, thinking that finally all the deceit was over.

Neytiri nodded. "Well, I am going to go and check on the food."

"How long more do you think before dinner, mummy?" Jake asked.

Nikti exchanged an odd glance with her mate. "I will ask," Reran said to Nikti before turning to his leader. "'Mummy'?"

Jake gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Oh, I've gotten into the habit of calling Neytiri 'mummy' when we're around Tom. And I just realised that we are not..."

Neytiri came back then to add, "Yes. Well, we are doing that since I want Tom's first word to be 'mummy'," Neytiri smiled, coming back to sit beside Jake.

"Then maybe we should start calling me 'daddy' as well," Jake said.

Nikti smirked at that and turned to Jake, teasing him. "I would like that, 'daddy'," she said in a sort of teasing tone.

Jake blinked. "Uh... I just meant that for Neytiri," he told Nikti, feeling awkward.

Nikti smirked a little more and decided to try and push it further. "Ooh, is daddy getting angry? Is daddy going to spank me?" Reran and Neytiri refused to look at one another, knowing that if they did, they would explode in peals of laughter.

Jake hesitated for a moment, and then smirked himself; he decided to try and play along. "Well, that depends," he purred as he stood up to look at Nikti properly. "Have you been a bad gir – No, you know what? I can't do that."

A few minutes later, the four friends were sitting down to dinner and talking about their other friends and their children. "Do you remember Seuti?" Nikti asked.

"Yes! Whatever happened to her?" Neytiri asked.

"Who's Seuti?" Jake asked, looking at Nikti.

"Seuti and Aren'tey with their daughter Tarya, a family who was in the Omaticaya before you came," Nikti said. "They left to join another clan."

"A pretty secretive clan as well," Neytiri added. "Hard to find."

Jake looked at them. "So, they are cut off from the rest?"

Nikti nodded. "Basically. We do not even know if they exist – could easily be a legend."

Neytiri sighed. "I miss them," she said. "And I remember that Seuti was pregnant when she left. Wonder if she has given birth to her boy... Oh, that reminds me." Neytiri looked at her mate. "We are invited to the circumcision of Uruali's baby boy tomorrow."

Jake nodded and didn't look at his mate. "Make an excuse for me," he told her.

"I thought you liked Urali?"

"I do," Jake told her. "I just don't feel like watching her and her husband ritually mutilate their child."

**I liked the starting of this, and then it sort of petered out... This was one of the possible options for the 'Family Bed' chapter, and it also gives a clue as to what will happen in ****Heartbeat****, and mentions a character in ****Accidentally on Purpose****, but no, decided not to.**


	20. DELETED CHAPTER: Severed

**Deleted Chapter**

**Chapter Eleven | Severed**

Within just a couple of days of coming into the world, Tom proved to be something of a clan celebrity. Just like in medieval-human times, as Norm said, the clan lined up to come and take a look at the young prince. Jake and Neytiri watched with pride as everyone cooed over their son, but as the Serlans came up, Jake stiffened. He watched carefully as the young son of that family, Palin, came to look at Tom. Palin was barely three, but Jake could see something within him that he did not like. It was something he couldn't put his finger on – there was just something sort of unnatural about the way he acted. The boy didn't have a lot of morals, and while Neytiri told her mate that he was only young, Jake didn't like him at all. The way his eyes, years beyond his own age, watched over Jake's precious little son made him want to pull Tom away from Palin, and his parents. Neytiri touched Jake's arm, feeling him tense, and he relaxed a little. He plastered a smile on his face as Palin looked over Tom, his tail flicking like a conniving villain wringing his hands.

Everyone in the clan had met Tom in such a way, but Neytiri thought to organise a small dinner for her, Jake, Nikti and Reran, her mate; just them, instead of the whole clan. "I just want them to get to really know Tom," Neytiri explained to her husband. "They are, after all, his closest aunt and uncle."

Thus, the next evening, Nikti and Reran came to the lounge which Neytiri had set up for them to have a private dinner. Tom snoozed silently in a small cradle whilst the group made small talk. "So, what does Kiyeri think of Tom?" Nikti asked her best friend with a smile.

Neytiri looked at Jake. She panicked for a moment, but then realised that, according to their story, Kiyeri would have met Tom before she left. She quickly plastered on her dashing smile and then turned to Nikti, saying, "Oh, she just adores him. She wished she did not have to leave so soon, but she had school."

Jake nodded in response to the 'school' comment. "Speaking of which, I'm assuming Reiqa is going to Grace's school?" Jake and Neytiri had rebuilt the school with the clan; it was one of the first things they did when they chose the clan's new home. They hadn't decided on an official name yet, but they knew one thing – it was going to have Grace's name in it. Norm had jokingly suggested they call it 'St. Augustine's School for the Gifted', but Jake was quick to shoot it down, reminding him that Grace had been atheist, the Na'vi weren't Catholic, and also Grace wasn't entirely saint-like. Thus, they just referred to it, for now, as Grace's school. Some Na'vi children in the clan didn't attend the school though, and some went to others in other clans that were coming up. Still, Grace's school was the best.

"Yes," Reran answered Jake, "Only the best for our little girl." Nikti smiled at him when he said that, but Jake noted it didn't quite reach her eyes like Neytiri's did when she smiled at him.

Neytiri smiled at her friends. "Well, you best put her name down. Teriana put her son's name down just the other day." She looked at her husband then. "And we are invited to her son's circumcision ceremony."

Naturally, the leaders were invited. There wasn't a function of any sort that went without them, unless they had some prior engagement. Jake stopped himself from giving a shudder, and simply said, "Make an excuse for me."

Neytiri blinked in surprised and she looked at Jake as if to say, 'No'. He looked back at her. That left it up to Neytiri to break the ensuing silence. She gave a slightly nervous chuckle. "Why? I thought you liked Teriana."

"Of course – you know I love your friends, I love everyone in this clan – but I just don't feel like watching them ritually mutilate their child," Jake said, as simply as if they were talking about the weather. He smiled at Nikti then. "Mind passing the _teylu, _please?" he asked.

Nikti was in such a shock by this sudden topic change, that it took her about a second to realise that Jake was talking to her. "Oh! Right," she answered, passing him the bowl, her movements slightly robotic.

Neytiri scoffed at Jake's argument. "Circumcision is not a mutilation. It is a simple surgery meant to promote lifelong masculine hygiene."

Jake begged to differ. "No, it is a painful and horrible 'surgery' which reduces the male's capacity for sexual pleasure by snipping off the tip of his – "

"We know what it is!" Neytiri cut in quickly, not needing Jake to say the actual word.

Nikti couldn't quite remember when she had lost her appetite during this conversation. She carefully lowered the next mouthful she was about to take and nodded. "Wow. I do not think I have ever heard such different views on this subject. Not that I talk about it a lot. Or ever..."

Jake got the hint. "Sorry – I didn't mean to offend you."

Reran shook his head. "No, no really it is fine!" he smiled at his leader.

"It's just that I remember my own circumcision so clearly," Jake continued, forgetting their company.

Neytiri paused for a moment, as did Reran and Nikti. Neytiri broke the agonising silence by laughing. "Oh, that is ridiculous!" she said, picking up her drink to take a sip just for something to do than twiddle her thumbs as Jake told the fictitious tale to get himself out of the said ceremony.

"My parents argued on this subject too," Jake explained. "My dad said, 'No'. So, mum just bided her time until he left for a while on business of some sort. Tom and I were five."

Nikti and Reran looked at Jake with utter shock and horror on their faces. "Whoa..." Reran murmured, whilst Nikti gasped, "Ow!"

"She told us we were going for chocolate," Jake simply said as he continued to eat.

Reran nodded and then his eyes widened, as a whole new situation dawned on him. "Hey, is that why as a human, you were in a wheelchair?"

Over the past year, Jake had noticed how Reran was a strange kind of adult. He thought of strange scenarios no one else ever would. Jake paused for a moment, before nodding his head slowly. "Yes, yes it was." Neytiri shot him a confused look. Jake had told her he was in some war in Venezuela, or some such place back on earth. Jake just shook his head at her quickly, and she kept quiet on that part.

"This is why the procedure is done on babies," Neytiri said to Jake, continuing the debate. "They will not remember then. Tom won't remember."

Jake frowned at his mate. "We're not putting Tom through that."

"He's the prince – he has to."

"Well, then I'll change that law. It's old fashioned, anyway." Neytiri shot Jake a deathly glare after he said that, and kicked him viciously under the table. Jake grimaced slightly as Neytiri's foot connected with his shin. He frowned at her back.

Nikti awkwardly pushed the food around her plate as her leaders argued, and Neytiri cleared her throat to stop the awkwardness. "So, Nikti. You said something about bringing dessert?" she queried.

Nikti nodded slowly, and looked at Jake. "Um... Yes. I brought our version of chocolate." Jake looked at her. "Sorry..."

**· · ·**

Neytiri was still seething at her mate after humiliating her in front of Nikti and Reran when she awoke the next morning to feed Tom. Naturally, Jake thought he was squarely in the right, and refused to accept otherwise. Neytiri argued that even though that happened to him, he shouldn't let past experiences affect his son. "We're the leaders, Jake. How will it look?" she asked him.

"Well, I hope that it will look like we're turning over a new leaf," Jake told her, in a tone that said she had better not push him any further.

Out of desperation, Neytiri got an inkling of an idea. She refused to have Tom being teased for being different. She knew one person who could help her – he had before, after all.

"No," Dieln said pretty clearly to her. Neytiri gave him a frown, and he quickly remembered who he was speaking to. "I'm sorry, Neytiri. I cannot help you."

Neytiri felt like she had been slapped in the face. "And why not?" she asked, trying not to sound too demanding.

Dieln gave a sigh and turned around in the chair he was sitting in at his desk to pull something from behind him. Neytiri heard the rustling of paper, and Dieln came back to face her. "I have a registered letter from your husband that reads: 'I do not wish for my son, Thomas Eytukan Sully, to be circumcised. Should this letter encounter my mate – '

" – Please do not hesitate to inform her of its wide circulation to healers in other clans in this and _five neighbouring countries_!" Neytiri exclaimed that evening to Jake after she had stolen the letter from Dieln.

Jake didn't seem to be paying too much attention to his wife's concern as he fed little Tom. "Hmm, you think he's running a fever?" he asked, pressing his large hand to Tom's forehead gently. "He's not eating well."

Neytiri was sidetracked for a moment and she looked at Tom. She touched his forehead as well, and then shook her head. "He's fine. But... to even think such a letter was necessary!"

"Clearly it was," Jake said, turning to give Neytiri a frown. "Forgive me for knowing my mate."

"And I thought I knew you!" Neytiri argued. "What happened to the man who understood Na'vi tradition?"

"Neytiri, I do understand it, and I accept it fully. Just not this aspect," Jake told her firmly. "I don't feel the need to cut Tom! What do you have against untrimmed penises anyway?"

Neytiri made a face when he actually said the word. "Well, they are... unpleasant!"

Jake arched an eyebrow. "You sound like you have a lot of knowledge in that area," he smirked a little. The scathing look Neytiri gave him quickly made Jake take that comment back. "Look, I forbid you from doing this to Tom."

"But Jake – "

Jake gave a growl. "No buts." With that, he left with Tom, and Neytiri wondered if he feared she would try and attempt the procedure herself.

**All right, so this is where the previous chapter was going to lead to, and I was going to actually finish this one, but too much like DH goddammit! Also, it got kind of awkward; less awkward than Family Bed, to be sure, but awkward none the less.**

**I lost inspiration half-way. Basically what was going to happen was Neytiri would take Tom and get it done, then Jake would be offended and ask if Neytiri really thought of him as Tom's father and all, and she felt bad and everything is happy again! But yeah... I'm kinda glad I didn't put this in the main story.**


	21. DELETED CHAPTER: Family Bed

**Deleted Chapter**

**Chapter Eleven | Family Bed**

'_In the best of all possible worlds, childbirth enriches a marriage. In the worst, it harms it. No matter how good their marriage is, most couples find that having a baby challenges their relationship.' – Jean Marzollo_

The new family quickly fell into a routine; Tom was a quiet sleeper for the first couple of days, but within a week he was turning into a little terror, waking Jake and Neytiri up at ungodly hours of the night. Jake thought it would go the other way around, with the child getting a more rested sleep as the weeks passed. Much to their dismay, they had no such luck. Jake and Neytiri were like walking zombies in the middle of the night, tending over little Tom who demanded attention like the little prince he was. Jake really hoped that trait wouldn't pass into adult life. The two new parents were exhausted and trying to think of a solution to this, and Neytiri came up with one.

One night, when Jake came into the room, he spotted Neytiri tending over little Tom, who was snoozing quietly beside her in their bed. Jake smiled at the beautiful sight of mother and child. "He's so beautiful when he sleeps," Jake said, looking at Tom adoringly. "Shall I put him to bed?"

Neytiri shook her head and looked at her mate. "No, he will be sleeping with us tonight." Jake looked at Tom in concern and perched at the side of the hammock, trying not to sway it. He gently placed a hand over Tom's forehead, trying to feel for a fever; he was fine. "He is not sick," Neytiri explained, "But our people say that babies sleep better with their parents. It is called 'The Family Bed'." Neytiri smiled triumphantly.

"Oh, I've heard of that," Jake said, looking back to Neytiri. He paused for a moment. "Isn't that designed to help breast feeding?"

Neytiri nodded, her triumph fading somewhat. "Partly. Why?"

"Well, you're not lactating. If our son wants to be near the milk, he might as well sleep by the refrigerator in RDA," Jake said.

Neytiri smiled. "This is not just for me; it is for him and you. It will allow you to bond with him too."

Jake smiled a little. "Well, sure," he said, moving a little closer to Neytiri. "But it won't let me bond with you..." He let his words trail off to imply his meaning as he smirked at her and tried to kiss her cheek.

Neytiri pulled away from Jake's touch with an entertained smile. "Darling, sex is the last thing a woman wants right after she has given birth."

Jake frowned thoughtfully. "But you didn't give birth – you watched and served refreshments."

Neytiri mirrored his expression. "Well, looking after a baby is still tiring. Good night." Neytiri quickly kissed Jake on the lips and then snuggled beside her son.

Jake sighed and gently slipped into bed, looking anxiously at Tom. "Uh... What if I roll over and crush him?" That was in the realm of possibility.

Neytiri had already shut her eyes, but she said in a dangerous tone, "Don't."

**· · ·**

A few days into the 'family bed' idea, and Jake was already feeling its toll. He was so terrified of rolling over and suffocating their precious little prince, he spent his nights hugging the side of the hammock, trying to distance himself as far away from Tom as possible, as if he were sprayed with poisonous toxins. As a result, he got minimal sleep. On the bright side, Tom and Neytiri slept like little angels.

Neytiri was with Norm in the royal's lounge one afternoon, cradling little Tom as she sat. Norm watched over them like the protective uncle he was, but all of them looked up as Jake came in. Jake was looking at Neytiri with a smile, but it had an annoyed edge to it. "Ask me how my morning was."

Neytiri exchanged looks with Norm before looking back at her mate with intrigue. "All right. How was your morning?"

"Glad you asked," Jake said somewhat sarcastically as he sat down beside his mate. "Well, I nearly shot poor Taw'te in the head as we practiced archery since I was half asleep. Neytiri, this 'family bed' thing has got to stop."

"We just need some more time," Neytiri replied defensively. She strongly believed in the family bed; the Na'vi clans used it all the time, or at least they used to when she was younger. For some reason, it had started to fade out, just like a lot of their old traditions. "And Tom is sleeping so soundly," she added. That was true. Tom had barely uttered a squeak since they had hauled him into bed with them.

"That's not the point," Jake said, though it was really the whole point. "Are we just going to wait until I kill one of our members before we put Tom back in his own bed?"

Neytiri sighed. "Look, just find something to help you sleep."

Jake rolled his eyes. "I used to have something that helped me sleep. Of course, that is off the menu these days." Norm snorted with laughter and Neytiri frowned at both of the men. Jake shook his head. "Well, if anyone needs me, I'm going to start setting up a bed in the lounge."

Neytiri's eyes widened in shock. "You are leaving our hammock?"

Jake sighed as he stood up. "Look, Neytiri, I either have to sleep, or get lucky tonight. I will have better chance at both if I'm alone." Norm and Neytiri exchanged aghast glances. Jake started to leave the room when he 5ealized what he said. "And yes. I know how that sounded..." Jake shook his head at himself and left.

**· · ·**

Neytiri was walking down the stairs with Tom in her arms. He was too small for a baby carrier yet, and Neytiri preferred holding Tom – it made her feel closer to him. Jake had stayed true to his word, and had slept in the lounge that night. Neytiri hadn't 5ealized how much she needed Jake sleeping beside her until she woke up that morning, and in a yawn her arm draped over to feel the side of the hammock where he lay. It had been cold and lifeless, and Neytiri felt hollow.

Neytiri cast her eyes about downstairs, and spotted a Na'vi male with a young girl. A small smile came over her face as she looked at her little 'niece', Reiqa, and her father, Nikti's mate, Reran. Nikti had dubbed Jake and Neytiri as Reiqa's uncle and aunt, and they did the same for Tom with her and Reran. "_Kaltxì_," Neytiri greeted pleasantly as she came over to them.

Reiqa looked up and gave a brilliant smile as she looked up at her 'aunt'. "Aunty Neytiri!" She exclaimed, rushing over to give her a hug. Reiqa was a toddler, and she only reached Neytiri's knee . Neytiri chuckled and ruffled her hair, not bending down to give her a hug this time due to Tom being in her arms. Reiqa smiled and then rushed off to play. "She is growing so fast," Neytiri said in a contemplative tone.

Reran chuckled. "I know. Enjoy these days now, Neytiri – you will want them back soon enough." He smiled at the little baby in her arms and then looked back up to her. "If you are looking for Nikti, she just left to go hunting."

Neytiri nodded. "I was, but since you are here I might ask you. Did you and Nikti ever do the Family Bed with Reiqa?" She asked.

Reran smiled. "Well, it was not exactly a choice – she kept climbing in there," he laughed.

Neytiri chuckled. "Fair enough. Now, not to pry, but did that create any... issues for you?"

"You mean sex?" Reran asked simply, as if they were just talking about the weather conditions.

Neytiri flushed and gave a nervous laugh. "Well, apparently not to pry was not necessary... How did you deal with it? Again, not to pry – "

"The forest. We did it all the time there," Reran explained with a wink. "And do you remember that time you and Jake asked us to look after the royal's bedrooms when you went to the Horse clan?"  
Neytiri blinked spastically. "Oh, okay then!" She said, not wanting to know anymore. Definitely should have talked to Nikti in this case. Neytiri gave a weak smile. "Thank you, Reran. I think..."

**· · ·**

Later that day, Jake came up to his and Neytiri's section to find her rubbing their hammock with a sort of disinfectant that the Na'vi had. It was made of certain berries and carried a terrifyingly strong scent. "What are you doing?" Jake asked as Neytiri scrubbed. "Why are you disinfecting the bed?"

Neytiri looked up from her work. The conversation with Reran flashed through her mind. "I have my reasons," she replied simply.

Jake blinked. "Okay then. So you and Tom are going to sleep on this hammock with that scent soaked through it?"

Neytiri sighed. "Ma Jake, you cannot sleep in the lounge every day."

"Must we have this conversation again?" Jake asked his mate. "I'm just so afraid of crushing Tom! Unless you want a Tom pancake in the morning, I shall be in the lounge."

Neytiri gasped. "Do not be so morbid!" Neytiri exclaimed on the pancake Tom comment. "Please Jake... I miss you."

Jake gave a saddened sigh and kissed his mate. "I miss you too. But I'm more concerned for the safety of Tom." Jake patted her cheek gently. "I'll be in the lounge if anyone needs me."

Neytiri sighed and looked over to little Tom who was sleeping in a little carrier. Her eyes flashed over to the milk bottle they kept for him, and she got an idea.

A few minutes later, Norm came by to see Neytiri pouring some sort of liquid into a drinking bowl. The liquid contained the pungent scent of alcohol. "Good Lord, Neytiri, what are you doing?"

Neytiri looked up. "Just a little something to help Jake sleep," she smiled innocently.

Norm frowned and went over to pick up the drinking bowl. He sniffed it. "Okay, what did you put in this?"

Neytiri frowned and snatched the bowl back. She hesitated and sniffed it herself. "Is it obvious I put three sleeping draughts in it?"

Norm's eyes widened. "You _what_?" He exclaimed. "Why are you drugging your husband?"

Careful cyan hands stirred the liquid a little, blending the draught and the alcoholic drink. "So Jake will be able to sleep back in our hammock," Neytiri replied, tapping the stirring rod on the bowl and then walking past Norm to the royal's lounge.

Norm thought for a moment and then groaned, remembering yesterday's conversation with Jake. "You are going to burn in hell for this," he warned Neytiri.

**· · ·**

"Hell. Burn. You," Norm growled softly as he looked at Jake's knocked out form. The three draughts had gotten to work very quickly, and Jake was dead to the world in a matter of minutes. Norm was kind of surprised Jake hadn't picked up on the scent of the sleeping draughts.

Neytiri rolled her eyes. "Shut up and help me!" She exclaimed, grabbing Jake's arms and trying to drag him off the sofa. Eywa, he was heavy.

Norm looked at Neytiri in shock. "You can't be serious."

Neytiri sighed and looked at Norm. "Yes, I am. Now grab his legs."

"I am not cut out for this," Norm mumbled as he lifted Jake's legs. "Why couldn't you just give him sex?"

Neytiri gasped. "Norm!"

"Neytiri, it's a science – men need sex. And it would make this so much easier!" Norm snarled. A thought occurred to him then. "You do 5ealize that if someone walks up here, they're going to think we murdered your husband?"

Neyitir thought about that. "Well, we best move quickly. Come on!" They both hauled Jake to his and Neytiri's hammock, and laid him there. It took quite a bit of effort, since Jake was deadweight, but they managed.

Norm thought for a moment after they had placed Jake in the hammock. "What's going to happen when he wakes up and finds himself in his own bed?"

Neytiri 5ealized her plan didn't go that far. "We are going to say he sleep walked. Okay?"  
Norm groaned. "Fine. But he's going to just kill you tomorrow." Norm left then, and Neytiri placed sleeping Tom beside Jake and then climbed in. She smiled and kissed Jake's cheek. She was going to be in Jake's bad books tomorrow, but it was worth it.

**So here's the original Chapter Eleven. Yeah, I admit, it wasn't my best work. Some of the lines in this I absolutely adored, but yes, like many of you said, it didn't fit. Hence, I took it out.**


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